The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-03-26

At the banquet given the Michigan
Press Association in Saginaw last
Wednesday, Charles B. Warren gave
an able and interesting address on the
Philippine sugar question.
Mr.. Warren lays down the postulate
that one result of the policy of Protec-
ton is unquestioiably high wages as
compared with wages paid in coun-
tries where a high tax is not main
tanned on imports. Whenever the Tar
if in this country is lowered on inn
ports coming from countries of lower
civilization, the domestic producers of
that commodity are not only placed in
competition with the cheap abor OF
such lower civilizations, but are COM
PEELED to bid for labor, land and mate
rails in a market paying high wages,
high rent and high prices because of
the existence of a high Tariff on most
other imports.
The Square deal,' said Mr.. Warren,
demands that no industry be singled
out and Disseminated against. If the
national policy is the maintenance of
a high Tariff, fair play demands that
all industries coming into direct COM
petition with the products of lower
civilization be protected.
Mr.. Warren then proceeded to show
that the position of the domestic beet
sugar producers is consistent with the
platforms and doctrines of the Repub'
lican party, which in 1896, 1900 anc
1904 demanded the Protection of al
domestic industries.
The summary of the commerce o.
the Philippine Islands," published by
the United States Government, July
1901, states that the average farm
hand will work for ten cents da!
. and board himself. Ordinary farm
wages, if paid regularly and promptly
are about fifty cents a day. In $780,
there were $4,000 laborers on sugar es
tates in the Philippines receiving al
average of seventeen cents a day, in
Guiding food allowance.
Is it any wonder, said Mr.. Warren
that domestic sugar producers ask TO
Protection against labor that is declar
> ed to be better and cheaper than Chi
3 nese labor?
The Tariff of 1897 provided for
= duty of 81. 6S1-2 per hundred pound
on imported sugar testing SO degrees
In 1902 Congress passed law provid
( ing that sugar from the Philippine
should pay but rs per cent of the 1ul
} rate in the law of 1907, and that al
money thus collected should be PAT
n into the Philippine treasury.
d The American producer, said MI
: Warren, can see no justice in grantin
mere bonus to the Philippine plant
er, if his needs do not require it and
the result IS to blight the development
of an industry that will eventually re
I suit in America producing her ow
sugar at a saving to our own people G
exceeding $1OO,OOO,OOO a year. Th
white men of America have as niue
right to living wage and a fair prof
as the brown men of the Philippin
Islands.
The sugar producing countries c
continental Europe maintain, withou
exception, higher Tariff against tn
sugar produced by the cheap labor c
the tropics, even if it be produced i
their own colonies, than the Unite
States.
Mr. Warren showed by figures fror
official reports that sugar producers i
Java (near the Philippines) have bee
able to pay the import duty of 81 .6S l.
cents per hundred pounds and compel
successfully with sugar imported fror
Cuba, for imports from Java hav
steadily increased, and sugar froI
Cuba pays 25 per cent less duty tina
sugar from Java.
D If Java, said Mr.. Warren, can CON
Z pete with Cuban sugar in this markC
. profitably, why cannot the Filipino
: compete profitably, when they not onl
1 enjoy a reduction of 25 per cent 6
: against the sugar producers Of Jaw
but receive back into their insulf
. treasury every dollar paid out in dut
3 to the customs officers of the Unite
States?
Mr.. Warren then effectually dispose