The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-02-04
Sugar Situation
In United States
HAWAII CUBA PORTO RICO THE PHILIP
PENEs-THE SUGAR PRODUCED IN
HAwAlG-wHAT THE ISLAND OF NEGRos ALONE COULD DO

The American people are in a queer
position in regard to the production OF
sugar
some twenty years ago It was not
supposed mat America could grow SUI
gar to any great extent. therefore
our legislation was not specially de-
voted to an attempt to build up the SUI
gar industry at nome. Under the re-
ciprocity feature of the Mckinley blll
Secretary Blaine traded sugar off to
secure some advantage in other lines.
For instance, he said to Cuba, we
will let your sugar in free If you will
let flour and other American farm
products into your country free The
trade was completed, and for a brief
time the exchange of commodities
worked well. Blaine traded off some
thing which we did not expect to try
to produce He permitted a cOmmO-
dity to come in which at that time
struck down no American industry 1t
is true some sugar was grown in Loui-
siana, but Louisiana was a Democratic
State, and, in the partisan spirit of the
times, Republicans said let the Demo-
Gratis 60 The Senators and members
from Louisiana were constantly voting
against the interest of their own peo-
pie; therefore Republicans had some
warrant for their action in neglecting
sugar.
The Democrats repealed the recip-
rocity arrangement.
Then the beet sugar scheme began to
take form. and sugar gave promise OF
being an American industry. Recog-
nizing the new situation, the Dingley
law enacted by the Republicans gave
sugar a Protective duty. Since that
time the beet sugar industry in Michi-
gan, Colorado, Nebraska and other
States has grown to tremendous pro-
portions, representing a capital and
product of hundreds of millions of dol
| lars. This being the case, legislation
| in regard to sugar is of the utmost
| Importance.
We admit sugar free from Porto
Rico and the Hawaiian Islands. The
best sugar in the world is produced in
| Hawaii, but it is produced at the great
est cost for irrigation and fertiliza,
ton. 1t is produced at profit only
by the introduction of the modern
methods of economy in labor and IN
every other respect.
1t is right that sugar should come IN
free from Porto Rico and Hawaii, be-
cause they are parts of our own COun-
try and they do not produce sugar in
amount sufficient to destroy the Am
erican sugar industry.
But inasmuch as the beet sugar mills
have all been erected with the under
standing that there shall be PrOtec'
tive Tariff on sugar, the question nat
urally arises, How much farther car
we in honor go in removing duties?
There is one island in the Philippine
group, to wit: the Island of NegrOs
which can produce sugar without
either irrigation or fertilization. Prop
erly cultivated that island could pro
duce more and cheaper sugar than any
other spot of ground on the globe. In,
dustry has never been well applied OF
the island of Negros. The natives are
lazy. Native sugar growers, when they
make a profit, use up the money il
luxurious living instead of erecting
sugar mills. No intelligent effort hai
been made toward developing sugar
growing in Negros. From four to sew
en- crops of sugar can be grown in Ne
gros without replanting. This mean'
that when the cane is cut down tn
new cane starts from the stock of tn,
old hill. The profit of sugar growing
in a measure depends upon the humble
of crops which can be produced with
out new planting, No other suga
growing country in this respect cal
compete with the Island of Negros