The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-11-16
REPORT
BY THE PRESIDENT
Continued from Page one.)

sugar business constitutes the main
source of the wealth and prosperity
of these Islands, and the success of
that industry lie very largely in the
hands of the men in charge of the
executive branches of the work on the
various plantations, and ! believe 20
opportunity should be overlooked by
any one of them of extending and per-
fecting their knowledge in relation to
sugar production.
This annual sugar congress is intend
ed to be educational in its character, its
cardinal purpose being to bring out by
discussion new ideas and the mutual
exchange of knowledge and experience
as to the best and latest economical
methods of handling sugar affairs, but
| trust the meeting will not be without
profit and pleasure to all of us.
The year Just passed has indeed been
an eventful one in the annals of The
association. We have produced the
largest crop which has, so far, been
turned out from these Islands, we hay,
enjoyed good prices, especially in the
latter part of the season owing to the
expected shortage of the European beet
crop, the much dreaded tariff legisla-
ton has come and gone without affect.
ing our industry in any way, and we
have passed through a prolonged labor
disturbance, learning lessons thereby
which l firmly believe will make for
better feeling ON all sides in the
future.
Crops.
Turning first to the question of our
sugar production for 1909, find that
the year Just closed has been a very
successful one in every respect. 1t has
been the record-breaking year of the
Island sugar industry, our output be.
ing 535,l5 tons, an increase of l4.O33
tons over last years crop, our previous
highest record. And, c0incident with
bumper crop, good prices have pre-
vailed throughout the year, steadily i'm
proving as the season progressed. As
has happened before, however, with an
ascending market the bulk of our crops
did not benefit by the higher prices,
but nevertheless the average price re-
ceived for our product has been an emf
nently satisfactory one.
Tariff.
The results of the tariff legislation
are well known to all of you, but
few words on this most important sub
iect may not be out of place. In
March of this year, congress met in
extra session, called for the purpose
of passing a new tariff bill. now known
as the "Payne Bill" The bill did
not provide for any reduction in the
duty on either raw or refined sugar,
and as soon as the sugar schedule came
up for discussion a bitter attack was
made on the American Sugar Refinery
with IA view to showing that the lar
ger portion of the increased price paid
by the consumer on account of duties
did not 60 to swell the revenue of the
country, but found its way into the
pockets of the socalled Sugar Trust.
Partly through the support afforded by
the senators and representatives from
the beet growing States, and partly
through his mastery tactics, which
were apparent all through the hand.
ling of this tariir measure, senator
Aldrich was enabled to ward off all
reference TO raw sugar in the bill. with
this one exception-that 100000 tons
of raw sugar are each year admitted
from the Philippines free of duty. The
Importance of the result achieved by
the passage of the new tariff bill with.
out any reduction In the sugar SEIZED,
ue Is almost inealculnble as far as
We are concerned, At any rate, n has
pat the whole of our industry ON a
solid basis, which - not likely 10 DO
disturbed for some time 10 come.
Strike
In tho early part Of May The Jana-
Iose lAhorprs on several of the Oahu
plantations won't nut on strike. Labor.
els were obtained from various sources
ln iAke their place, aud tho work ~
the plantations Nhs continued he usual,
uu Augurt the uuke Nas formally
DECLARED a. aud from that lme ON
lhe Japanese have been gradually -.
WnhH A. ihu various plantations
Nhft ihef Rtls formerly III work
lmmlgTatlon
Thg question s lmmlHsHan has bten