The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-20
PRESIDENT-ELECT
ON FILIPINO SUGAR

Editor Advertiser-It is not neces-
,sary to institute a se.aes of guessing
contests in order TO approximate the
r"sitIcn OF President-elect TAFT "a
"FiIp;no sugar In his address If
acceptance, last July, he said:
"The admission of $4,000 tons of
sugar from the Philippine Islands, in
a foreign importation of 100000 tons.
will have no effect whatever upon the
domestic sugar interests of the Uni
ted States; and yet such an importa-
ton from the Philippine Islands, not
likely to be reached in ten years, viii
bring about the normal state of pros
perity in those islands in reference to
sugar culture.
1.-The same thing is true of similar
limitation on the importation of to-
baeco.
The above surely expresses Judge
Taft 5 Intentions. But it has the
calculating tone or tenor of expe-
diency and instead of developing or
enuneiating principle rather makes
little more than a minor commercial
issue. This will be fought out with
the American sugar and tobacco in
terests on the one side and the next
President s strong weakness for his
Filipino brethren on the other. The
chances are very much against a VIC
tory for the chief executive He is
handicapped, seriously handicapped.
The distance, the remoteness of the in
terest he advocates, impairs his case
very much. The close touch, the en-
twining with other big businesses
gives the local or home interest a pres
tige that can scarcely be overcome.
cuba, about which Judge Taft said
nothing at all In his acceptance speech,
excepting to assume that it would be
turned back TO its own people in Feb
ruary next, will be very strong at
Washington this winter and will in
crease in power. There is a tradition
al obligation to Cuba, recent promise
and a mainland interest that has been
almost always successful in securing
favor at the hands of Congress. How
ever, there is for Hawaii the consola-
tion that the Carnival" of Cuba NAV
be delayed for number of years
perhaps for many years. This chiefly
on account of what is now little more
than bare hint of European or
diplomatic or international
cause and effect
Tt is in this same letter of accept |
ance that Judge Taft gives definite /
ness to President Roosevelt 8 catchy ,
phrase, development along tradition +
Al American lines, - applying it to the .
instead of to this Terri /
tory, as did the present chief execu- .
i've; but perhaps Judge Taft had been
on Hawaii. Here are the
words:
cit is not well for the Philippines
10 develop the sugar industry to such
| point that the business of the islands
shall be absorbed in it, because it
makes a society in which there are
wealthy land owners. holding very
arge estates, with valuable and extern
i've plants and a large population of
inskilled labor In such a community
here is no farming or middle class
ending to build a conservative. self
community. capable of self
There are many other
PRODUCTS notably that of Manila hemp.
o which the energy of the islands
an be and is being directed, the cult
-ation of which develops the class of
mall and intelligent farmers. .
1t may be, of course. that Judge
Taft had not been thinking of Hawaii
It all. But at any rate he had been
TAFTER.