The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-10-30
Continued from page /.


son read the address prepared by W. o
Smith on the cuban question. The ad
dress was as follows:
SMITH ON CUBAN QUESTION.
We all know that the sugar industry
is OF vital Importance to us all. As
unfortunate as II may be that we have
to depend so largely upon one product
stlll the fact remains that the progress
made in these islands during the past
thirty years is due to the development
and prosperity of the sugar industry.
The great public improvements, the
advancement and development in edu-
cational lines. the building up of Ho-
nolulu the greater comforts of living,
and such conveniences as telephone,
electric lights, electric cars and the
many other things which indicate the
great progress which has been made
have all been due directly or indirectly
to the proceeds of sugar.
1t is to be hoped that some OF the
other industries which are being tried,
such as the canning of fruit and grow
ing of tobacco, may develop into prof
liable enterprises, with the great adj
vantage of their being such that per-
sons of small means can engage in
them: but for the present sugar Is our
main dependence, and disaster to that
industry means disaster to the country.
The Apostle of the Democrats, Mr..
McClanahan, has been charging fran
tically around the islands, as though
just awakening from Rip Van Wrinkle
sleep, or having just come into pos
session of great and startling news,
and proclaiming that there is danger
Of Cuba being annexed to the United
States; and If Cuban sugar is admitted
free, great harm will be done to Ha-
wall.
The few years during which the
Apostle has lived in these islands have
not been sufficient to justify the Wrinkle
sleep theory. and his alarming attitude
of new discovery must be the result
of ignorance Of what has gone before.
The danger of Cuban sugar being adj
mitted free of duty has been present
ever since the Spanish war. After the
close of the war and during the re-
mainder of the Mckinley administra-
ton, appeals We're made for relief for
the suffering Cubans. The struggle
over this question continued, until fl
nally in 1904 a reduction of 20 per cent.
of the duties on sugar was given to
Cuba.
All of the time, since Cuba was
wrested from Spanish dominion, the
sugar interests of these islands have
been keenly awake to the possibility
and, indeed, the probability of the oc-
currence of events in that unsettled
country which would necessitate inter-
vention on the part Of the United States
and bring about again the question of
free trade relations and perhaps an
nexation.
In attempting to protect the interests
of Hawaii in regard to Cuba, as also
in regard to the Philippines, those rep
resenting the sugar interests here have
been vigilant and have endeavored,
through the Republican Delegate, Re-
publican channels, and personal repre-
to prevent the entire remis-
sion Of duties to those countries, and
SO far have met with large measure
OF success.
The duty on raw sugar of average
quality COG deg) is 1.6S5 cents per
pound, or $33.70 per ton, which Is paid
on all sugar imported from foreign
countries. Hawaii, being part of
the United States, does not pay this
duty The 20 per cent. reduction given |
to Cuba reduces her duty to s26.96 per =,
ton. If Cuba is annexed and If her
sugar is admitted free of duty, it does
not mean that the duty will be imposed
upon Hawaiian sugar. but that the
production of sugar In Cuba will be
greatly stimulated and eventually will
be so great as to reduce the price of
sugar to point below the cost of pro-
1uction here.
inc Apostle would seem to be seeking
10 give the impression that this danger
was recent discovery OF his, revela-
non IN fact; that the Republican party
On the mainland favors this annexation,
ana that the only way OF escape Is Tor
me Republicans OF these Islands to send
nim on to educate the American peo-
ole' repuke the Republican party and
warn the administration.
The remarkable proposition is seri-
,usly advanced that the Republican
party, being in power in the United
States and in favor of the annexation
If Cuba, and the Democratic party be-
ng in the minority and opposed to an
,exation, Hawaii should disregard all
he benefits 1t has received from the