The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-09-18

| other things. For example, it costs fif-
| ty per cent more to bring sugar from
Porto Rico to the United States than
| from Havana, because Of the former
traffic 3 limitation to American bot
| toms. Porto Ricans also have to pay
home prices on all the articles that
| are sold at lower rate in the export
trade, and as Il result Cuba gets its
| steel rails and sugar machinery to
better advantage. But these extra
costs are but slight, compared to the
| advantage of a free admission of n
highly protected product.
The American beet industry. under
our present sugar schedules. is grow
ing rapidly, having last year supplied
slightly more than ten per cent. of the
American sugar consumption. The beet
has developed on the Pacific coast to
such an extent that the Hawaiian sugar
which formerly found a market thcre
is now obliged to come to our Eastern
coast. often travelling around the Horn,
n trade necessity which is giving the
Hawaiians some apprehension. since
they feel that with the beet on one side
of them, and the undeveloped Philip
pine cane on the other, should the lat
Ter btCuTe Tree dCCtSb 10 ludIhttbs
they might be bottled up" Thus far,
the Philippines are not great sugar ex-
porters, and the quality Of the sugar Is
crude; but with the complete removal
of the duty under straight free trade,
which is liable to come some day, or
its reduction to twenty-five per cent. of
the Dingley rates, as Secretary Taft
persistently urges, capital might rush
into the Philippines, developing cane
Industry there that would materially
affect our market conditions Each of
these sources of supply thus has much
to fear from the others. II Cuba should
gain free ingress to our markets. under
annexation, 1t would give all the other
sugar sources "a run for their lives"
although by no means complete extinc-
ton, since Cuba alone would probably
not be large enough to supply us. But
It's possibilities are such that the sugar
state senator's, both beet and Louisi-
ana cane, can always be counted on
to oppose Cuban annexation, which
would be considered, IL at all, primarily
as n tariff question. The saying. "a
despotism tempered by assassination"
suggests a certain analogy to our tariff
situation. We have high protection
ism tempered by annexation" II
The reciprocity treaty with Cuba Sc
cured In 1903, after such a struggle on
the part OF the Administration, had Ave
years to run, and were 1t dependent
upon affirmative action OF Congress for
renewal the fight would be most seri-
Gus. since every other sugar-producing
interest would be against It, In addition
to the very considerab BILE body OF Amer
leans who look with growing disfavor
upon any reduction of any tariff under
any circumstances, characterized by the
New York Sun as the idea that "the
Dingley rates were made In heaven"
But fortunately this treaty continues
In force from year TO year after the
formal period. until either OF the con-
tracing parties gives notice OF its in
Lention to terminate the agreement. 1t
Is hardly likely that either side will do
This In the near future. since posses
sion Is nine points OF the law. Amer
can manufacturers have not profited
% an extraordinary degree by the con-
,essions In their favor In the treaty.
.anging from twenty-five TO forty per
cent, at least by comparison with Eu-
-ope's steady Increase In trade In the
,ame field. The reasons for this dis
appointment have been somewhat re-
ated 20 our general prosperity Amer