The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-06

so obtained she has in the past secur-
ed the means for her progress and ad-
Vancement Whether wisely or not,
she built up an Industrial system by
using the machinery, brains and CAPT
tai of the Occident in combination with
/ labor from the Orient. and she JUS
titles such course by pointing to the
fact that no other tropical country
in so short a period of time has made
such a record.
Coming under the full operation of
the laws of the United States Uncle
Sam has practically said that the in
dustrial system in Hawaii is wrong;
that it has produced no middle class,
but has created wealth at the expense
of citizenship. Our intelligent citizens
are willing to admit that it would have
been far better if the fifty or sixty
thousand Iaborers in Hawaii's cane
fields had been citizens. But they
claim some credit for what has been
accomplished.
Thus since annexation immigration to
the islands has been practically cut off
and the price of labor has constantly
increased. Sugar from the Philippines
may soon be admitted to the mainland
markets free The cost of labor i'll
the Philippines will be less than here,
the margin of profit on sugar therefor
higher. The amount of production viii !
increase rapidly and soon supply the
consumption of the Western States, !
and poor little Hawaii will be left bear |
ing her burdens of taxes and contribu- /
tions far in excess of the Philippines
and yet obliged to compete with them. !
Meanwhile. unless an increase of !
population can be obtained from some !
source, the excess of departures over
arrivals among the Orientals will sap |
the founda tions of our industrial struc
ture. And the American people are |
expecting to in some way hold up the
structure and maintain it until a new
foundation can be laid. We are all
ready to admit that American archi-
tects and engineers perform wonder
full feats, and possibly American states
men can do as well, but there is no
as yet of their paying any
attention to the problem that is pre-
scented here in Hawaii.
Thus the first thing needed is a
of our immigration laws
by which we can in some way build up
the population of these islands and re-
enforce the supply of labor that is now
slipping away from us.
lie SGCOIIu QucStIOI1 Is IltidIlC6S. 4
Hawaii shares in Americas debt and
she contributes her full share to the
support of the Federal Government |
Since annexation the contributions
rom customs revenues alone have
amounted to $6059, 81, more than half
is much again as the entire debt of
he Republic of Hawaii which the
United States assumed at that time.
History shows that England has found
~ experience that she failed with ev-
Try dependency from which she ex-
cted tribute and on which she depend
d for financial support.
An able senator chairman of the
Committee on Pacific Islands and Por-
o Rico, once made a statement to this p
fleet: I'VE are taking a million dol c
ars year out of Hawaii which we =,
% not need and do not want, and -
hould find a way of stopping it,
Is there any area of 500 square miles
n the mainland (this is about the size :.
f Connecticut and Rhode Island to-
ether which, with only 600 peo- Il
lie, could stand UP for five years un-
er such a strain as Hawaii has met?
We're it not for the exceptional produc-
lVeneSs of the soil in these islands,
he high price of sugar and the low
rice of labor, it could not have been
let. How long it can be sustained in
ne face of the constantly increasing I
rice of labor is a question which the
lture alone can answer l.
A few figures which I gathered to- Il
ether over year ago from the best W
valuable data showed that every per- Il
IN In Hawaii was taxed for local pur- -
oses $3.50, and a further indirect tax
IT the support of the Federal Gov It
'nment of $7.90-a total of $3.50 a II
ear. II
In Porto Rico the total taxes col
cted amounted to 1929 per capita IN
er annum, and the whole of that as
ey contribute nothing to the sup "
'rt of the Federal Government, was Sc
pended in their own development. TO
Our people have endeavored to make
'od this drain on Hawaifs finances "a
asking Congress for liberal appro-
iations, such as for public buildings. d,
lese demands have been met with
e reply that cities with a much -
rger population have been clamor -,
: for years for such recognition G.
A.,