The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-01-21

Something More about the Fight for
Free Sugar from Cuba The Sugar
Problem in Europe and America.

iitical liberation by AFFORD nE her the
economic opportunity which she lost
when she severed her bonds to Spain.
Tpon it's economic eide freedom OF trade
lctWccu Cuba ana the United States T.
the natural result OF her geographical
loeat on and OF our interests. 1t means
In the long run W d ming OF American
markets and an opening OF opportunities
for American Investment which are vast
ly more important than the puiiy special
interests which are standing In the path
OF Cuba's future. The question is some
thing more. however than an economic
one. II involves n moral Obligation on
the part OF the United States TO carry
out the implied pledge of her policy of
intervention.
4 CALLS FOR QUICK ACTION.
"ReHcf for Cuba should be complete
and speedy. Party leaders in Congress
cannot afford to hide behind shallow
preteXts in refusing such relief. 1t is
not necessary to wait for the creation
of a Cuban government before taking
acton If liberal action at any time Is
proposed. The United States are prac-
tcaily masters of the future Of Cuba
II Is in their power to prescribe what
concessions shall lie made upon Cuban
products entering this country, and what
concessions shall he granted by the new
government of Cuba upon American
products entering that island. These
limitations can he just as easily defined
on the first day after the reassembling
of Congress as they can be defined after
the inauguration of Cuban govern
ment. Legislation providing that Amer
lean duties on Cuban sugar and tobacco
should be reduced fifty per cent from
and after the date when the Cuban gov
crnmcn. should reduce duties on Amer
lean goods entering the island by a Civ
en- per cent. would not vest any improp-
cr discretion in the President and would
enable the Cuban government to pass
joint resolution accepting our mandate
on the very first day after its Inaugural
ton. Some such program as this should
be adopted without delay unless the still
more liberal one Is adopted of reducing
the duties at once on Cuban sugar and
tobacco. ard providing for their restor
alton only in case the Cuban government
ia Is to act promptly in making the de-
sired concessions to us.
MAKES sPECIOUS PLEA.
! president Roosevelt has indicated his
opinion that this matter of reciprocity
with Cuba rises above party and fiscal
qucst,ons'to the dignity of a moral issue
There can be no manner of doubt that
he viii he sustained n this attitude by
public opinion when the issue is crystal
lied. The tempest of criticism upon the
last Congress which broke out over the
levy of duties on goods from Porto Rico
will prove but a summer zephyr to the
whiriw nd of popular indignation which
VIII make itself heard If justice is reflIs-
ed to cuba. In the cnse Of Porto Rico
even the program which provoked crit
iclsm involved concessions which far
exceed those now proposed in the case
Of Cuba The lefusal to make any such
concessions would have created a pol L
ical issue OF the first mlgn tude which
would have enabled the opposition lead
ers to play with trkiug effect upon the
sympathics OF the m,riran people.
Such an outbreak OF public feeling would
sweep away the petty bulwarSs erected
by special interests like autumn leaves
before hurricane. The party In power
cannot affo d. by refusing reasonable
concessions to cuba in pursuance Of the
sp rit of our Intervention against Spain.
to place in the hands of tie opposition
the most powerful political weapon W. tn
which they nave been armed since Their
expulsion from power" "a
50 y
SAN FRANCISCO. Jan. S.-The Nav
York Commercial says:
what appears to he a rehanil tatlon of
the old project to drain the Florida Ev-
clg!adcs and convert their remarkably
llNu sun 4llhp sugar u an thN4'iT - 'Al'
recent organization In jacksonville of a
drainage ana sugar company with ample
capital and having prom ncnt among It's
officers the two executive officials for
many years past In charge of the i'm
mcnse Flagler interests in Florida.
The practcabil,ty of the undertaking
has already been demonstrated Govern
ment and private surveys prove the feas.
Utility of draining these overlooked lands
.,t,..
tation has shown that this decayed vege-
tat.on of centuries thus reclaimed as
arabic land is peculiarly adapted to the
cultivation of sugar Cane-said on high
author ty to be the best in the world fof
that purpose In addition. the peculiar
climate Of the lower East Coast N Flor
Ida would give sugar plantations there
marked advantage over all other sugar
lands in the continental territory of tho
United States. Indeed, the operations o,
the late Hamilton Disston and his assoc
clata in the st. Cloud region of drained
lands bordering the two Lakes Tohopa-
kaliga near Kiss! mmee demonstrated
plainly enough the superiority of the
land and the climate for sugar growing.
That enterprise needed only ample cad
tai, enlightened management and ell
cient commercial connections: the new
project appears to have all these In
abundance.
We have the word OF the American
Sugar Refining Company's president FOR
1t that, with a proper policy of govern
ment protection, the continental United
States could easily produce every pound
OF sugar that its people consume-with-
out any dependence on the Philippines.
Porto Rico, Hawaii and Cuba, 1t is only
reasonable to presume that the vice pres
dent of the Standard Oil Company feds
sure of the continuance OF such pol ey
OF he would not-as believed in Jackson
ville-back with his millions a great cane
sugar enterprise in the Peninsular State
FREDERICK OBRIEN.
, Hawaiian Supreme Court SUSTAINED