The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-27
Stories From the Archives


I again forced TO consent TO the Landing
of foreign liquors. This consent was
obtained. | wish to inform you, through
fear Of war. 1t was not because he
! chiefs wanted the liquor that this con
I sent was given to the treaty with
/ Captain Laplaee. which allowed The
/ IMPORTATION of the vile stuff. but he
/ cause of fear; the chiefs had realized
{ their weakness and also the smallness
of their number, and were therefore
unable to oppose your great and pow
I erful nation. The laws restricting this
vile stuff were again crumbled, and
from that time until this day riots ard
evils Of all kinds have become frequent
in our land Vessels from all "Oun-
tries are bringing liquors and lanling
them on our shores. Because OF this
treaty with Captain Laplaee, which
provides that - French merchandise, or
known TO be Of French manufacture,
wines and brandies, shall not be pro-
hibited, nor pay a higher duty than
FIVE per cent. ad valOrem, other for
eigners such as English and Americans
have Joined in demanding that they
be given the same privileges in their
treaties. Our country. therefore, is
full of liquor and drunkenness, and we
are unable to stamp out the~evil. Our
chiefs. however, have looked into the
enactment of new laws to overcome the
evils of liquor and we are trying to
adjust the retail sale of the article,
but have not carried the thing to that
point of success as anticipated by us,
because of the continual interference
made by Dudoit, the French Consul.
If we fine a retail liquor dealer be-
cause of some breach of the law, he
will then step in and with anger say
TO us, You have broken the treaty.
and will then lend his influence to
support the retail dealer and thus put
our efforts to naught.
1t is our opinion that this action on
our part does not constitute a breach
of the treaty, because the treaty does
not refer to the retail dealing of the
but only to the importation
of the same. Therefore we have been
put to great inconvenience by your
consul, because of the fear that we
may again fall in his disfavor and
another French warship be sent here
to again Cypress this weak end small
nation.
Another difficulty we, find is this: +
Your consul says: "No merchandise I!
from France shall pay a higher duty
than FIVE per cent ad 0Alorem. - Be- /
cause of this agreement we cannot col
leet a higher rate of duty on any for !
eign goods. consequently this country !
is made poor because of the importation /
of foreign goods, and will continue to
be in financial straits; and burdensome |
taxes are therefore assessed on our peo-
nle to meet our obligations. Ali this 1
has come upon us because Of this treaty |
which gave the foreigners of other |
the right to demand the same
privileges.
Here is another thing. 1t has been
said, and no doubt you have heard the
report, that we have insulted the.
French nation because we have sent
away Popish teachers. I wish there
fore to inform you in all truthfuIness
hat we did not in this intend to in
suit your nation. We know that your
great nation is honored ami respected;
We have seen some of vour great men
md honor them for their great wis
lom. But we feel it our right to re-
use to accept the images brought here