The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-08-16

ONE mere. 1n1S Is l. heIIlch bIoNi
he Board of the Hawaiian Evangelical
aragraph and Mrs. Gould's letter here
THE TRANSCRIPTS ATTACK.
Boston Transcript, July S0.-Ha-
waii is being sharply accused of a
lack of Americanism by some of
the congressman who lately visited
the islands on the invitation of the
Insular Government One demand
which was made upon the congress
sional party was that stiff tariff
duty should be placed upon coffee
in order to encourage the infant in
dustry of coffee growing in the Ha-
waiian archipelago. In other words,
the Hawaiian planters coolly asked
that the American people should
tax themselves $40,O00,000 a year,
in order that more Asiatic and Eu-
ropean laborers might be set at
work on the Hawaiian coffee lands
to heap up new fortunes for group
of Honolulu magnates. AT the same
time these Hawaiian planters, a
great many of whom are aliens, de-
manded that Congress should re-
peal forthwith the coastwise navi-
CATION laws of the United States,
which reserve TO American ship
owners the carrying trade between
Hawaii and the American mainland.
That is, these Hawaiian planters
insist in the same breath that there
should be protection for themselves
at a cost of $40,000,000, and free
trade for the American ship own
ers of New England and Califor-
MIA. Cynical selfshness could not
well go further than this. 1t is
probable that these Hawaiian de-
mands will provoke considerable
merriment and some little indig-
nation when they come up for
analysis in Congress.
MRS. GOULD'S REPLY.
To the Boston Transcript.
The (editoriaD paragraph of July 80
commenting on impressions of Hawai-
ian affairs, as given by some of the
Congressional party, was painful sur
prise TO some who have been watch
ing intently the progress, or rather
the retrogression of Hawaiian interest
Such comments would seem to expires:
a hasty judgment, one not founded or
careful study of the conditions thai
confront this youngest child in oul
great family, complex and almost alarm
ing.
One would naturally expect that tn,
welfare of the Island Territory brought
within so few years into civilization
through the heroic effort of our owl
people and their children would seen
close akin to US; that her isolated posi-
ton, requiring long and expensive jour
neys and transportation to obtain need
ed supplies; her tropical climate, pre-
Guiding the possibility of outdoor labo
by Caucasians, would appeal to US t,
do what was possible to assist, no
hinder, the providing ways and means
of internal development: the splendic
result already achieved ought to max,
US proud of the pioneers. not jealou.
of their well-earned, weIl-deserved pros
Gritty. In no other place in our lant
have the Oriental laborers received sucl
just treatment or proved themselve:
so amenable to improving influences
This goes to show that the whites TN
derstand and practice methods that may
be trusted, though in the present state
of public opinion the same would per
haps not be feasible on the continent
To forbid the coming to Hawaii of these
laborers whom experience has proved
to be the best adopted to her needs
lest We should be unable to prevent
them invading the mainland more than
2000 miles away, seems like doing a
great injustice to her from fear of
trifing harm to ourselves.
AS to protection of island products
whose cultivation has been introduced
at great expense and toll and which
can not with Asiatic laborers prohi-
bited) be raised except at great loss,
as things now stand-that is a ques-
ton for economic experts. If protec-
ton is ever right or wise, if infant
industries ought ever to be fostered,
it would seem that these should be;
perhaps not, but if SO, let others be
put on the same basis. Let us not pro-
feet the vast steel and iron industries
IF our United States, not put prohi-
bitive tariff on Mediterranean fruit
for the sake of Florida and California
industries and then with heavy foot
down the tender coffee plants