The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-09-17
SAYS PLANTERS ARE
WHOLLY TO BLAME

homestcaders on land to make them
stick there. lie should discriminate
against those whom he believes will not
be successful homesteaders. You can
only expect a man to use his best iudg-
ment. You can size up people in a
great many ways"
Agency System.
Mr.. Ashford, charactorizing the sys-
tenn Of plantation agencies as case Of
the thirteen men on dead man g
chest, - asked Mr.. Carter his opinion as
to the workings of this SYSTEM. Nh.
! Carter said he had no ms de informn.
ton. Mr.. Fisher asked If Mr.. Ashford
considered the sugar agencies an un-
necessary cog IN the machinery: 90
which Mr.. Ashford replied that that
was his impression. Mr.. Ashford said
he believed their commissions for hand
ling sugar plnntat ions had been modi-
fed, but if the small planter had 10 pay
n commission upon all he buys and
sells, in addition to other commissions.
then it was an unjust and unnecessary
provision. The Secretary asked if he
thought there was collusion between the
sugar estate and the agent. Mr.. Ash
ford said the agents controlled the plan.
tations and it was n ease OF washing
one hand with the other. lie callcn
attention to the fact that the list OF
directors of any big corporation contain
ed the same names which are to be
found on the lists of directories of MI
other big companies. He predicted lhat
the Secretary had surprise coming
when he looked over the various coy
poration director lists.
The Governor was asked. ms to his
views on the plantation agency ques-
ton. The Governor agreed in the state
ment that sugar interests are controlled
practically by smaller number of peo-
pie. The directors of the sugar agen-
cies are among the lafger plantation
stockholders, but the stock in many of
the Plantations is quite widely distrib-
uted. There are several thousand
stockholders in the various plantations.
He believed only one plantation-the
Makee Sugar Company-was not rep
resented by an agency. Several years
ago when he was on the supreme bench
of the Territory and tax appeals were
before the court, there was question
as to the value of the agency contract
and good deal of testimony was offer
ed. A strong contention was made that
they were without value for taxable
purposes, but the court held they had
n value. In some cases the contracts
between agencies and plantations were
terminable at will. The agents showed
they were not making very much on
commissions, the principal gains being
from the sale of merchandise to the
plantations, every sugar agency being
practically departmental store.
Plantation Store Profits.
GLOW far do you think there is
justification for complaints which have
reached me from time to time about
prices charged in the Plantation
stores,' asked the Secretary of Cover
nor Frear. t.
ga few years ago the sugar planters
association held a meeting at my re-
quest, and l asked them to sell at cost.
They do. -
Efficiency of Victor Clark.
elbow far do you think that DIR.
Victor Clark is efficient9''' inquired
the Secretary of Mr.. Ashford.
81 don t know replied Mr.. Ash
ford, ''what his work is except to draw
a salary His position is an excuse to
draw n saIary He 10 AWAY os+ans;hl,,
in Manchnr;a IN oct ;mmigrants and
the last T heard he ,vas in 81 po+ors'
burg and nossihIv we many naxt hear
of him in yav Poree Hc NAV bo a
good oficia; 7 don't know anvtbing
about b;s ofic,oI r,orl, to ,,nSo-, .
really intelligent estimate.''
Mr. Ashford +ben osl,od Tho corornou
whether his risit In the nlantors, ESQ.
ciation and his argnment In favor of
redueing store nriees on nlantotions
was made before mr. aftor tha ,,is;t horo
nj Tabor Commissioner Keofo and his
renort rnon tbn excoss;,,o nr;oos Tho
Gnyernor ronIied tbi. NOS ~ a.o
hefore Mr. Kaefs oamo haro NJ ssh'
ford said howeyer that Mr. Keofo re-.
norted tL,t zoo Iaroo ,,rot;.s 80 al.
heinz made ~
M
~ NJ W tnot tepiiei tlat ne unu ,i
views on some of his first impressions
ana perhaps had ABOUT TINS lie believ'
, Gu MI Mere round more or Tess varla'
5loh IN prices on diherent plantations