Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-12
OPPONENTS OF FREE SUGAR ARE
To FIGHT To THE LAST DITCH

/ lively wicked. for il hands over home
! interests to these outside of the coun-
I try. While il might mean slightly
/ lower prices To the consumer, for pos
sibly three years, after that the beet
I sugar interests of the country would
have bee ndestroyed Then. with the
sugar production in their hands. the
importing refineries would be in con-
troll OF the price.
XIII the domestic, and the inn
ported cane will reign Continue To
support the domestic. and in few
years il will supply the country's de-
mands more cheaply than imported
cane can continue to do"
Xickersham's Opinion
When George W. Wiekersham. for
merry attorney general of the United
States. was in Honolulu in March. he
declared. during an interview with a
Representatives OF the Star-BulIetin.
that il was beyond his comprehension
TO see any reason why it was believed
by reducing the tariff on sugar the
cost TO the consumer could be less
The following is an excerpt from his
interview:
II can ascribe no valid or sensible
reason for the fact that some legis-
lators in Washington are for a mo-
ment considering the reduction of the
tariff on sugar. The idea that such a
reduction will work anything but great
harm or that it will benefit to any ex-
tent the consumer of sugar is to my
mind so fallacious as to be absurd
The great sugar reflneries in the
United States. the majority of which
are controlled by the so-called Sugar
Trust. will get all the benefit from any
reduction in the cost OF the raw prod
uct, and it is beyond my comprehen-
sion to see any reason why the price
of the refined product TO the consumer
would be reduced.
II cannot conceive of any reasona-
bic man so foolish as to believe that
this industry should be sacrificed for
the sole benefit of the refining COM
panies. To my mind the question of
the reduction of the tariff on sugar,
more than any other single question,
is apt to result in the disruption of
the Democratic party. 1t is an all i'm
portant question, and one upon which
the people of the United States are
vitality interested. At present the gov
eminent realizes no less than $60,000,-
0O0 annually from the tariff on sugar.
Besides this, the sugar industry is
great and important factor in the
economic progress and prosperity OF
the country We should encourage its
development. not stamp it out of ex-
istence by foolhardy measure.
Shirt Men Complain
Though at this time the loudest
voices have been raised aginst free
sugar, the manufacturers of shirts and
collars have raised the point of their
inability to compete with Oriental la
Dor. not only in that particular field of
trade but in any competitive business
where the cost of labor, such as in |
the sugar industry. cuts such large
figure. Leslie's Weekly, in speaking |
of this, recently said:
Our shirt and collar manufacturers
are up in arms against the proposal to |
take protection from their trade. |
Japan has already entered the field /
of competition With the increasing
adoption of Western styles of dress
in the Orient there is a steadily grow |
ing field for collars and shirts which /
Japan is already catering to, Not only
so, but Japan is even now shipping
her goods to the United States, not I
large quantities as yet, but it is 4
growing trade as the consular reports I
show We cannot compete with the
wage scale of Japan or of any other
Eastern people. Japan is the most
Oriental nation. In 1907
the general average of wages through
cut the Japanese empire was 1SR
cents per day. In 1910 this had in
creased to 29h2 cents per day and the
cost of living will probably
'orce still higher average. We have
10 industry that can compete with
such scale of wages as this. Is it
to want to see our high
wages and high standard of living pro-
ected against the cheap products of
he Orient? Let the people decides"
Reduction Too Great
A statement that a change in the
ariff, as being carried out by con-
ress, will injure business generally
md upset it's stability, is accredited !
Q F. A. Societies, of the Hirsh-Wick- |
wire Co. Chicago. He also speaks of
he broad differences in the labor con-
itions of this country with those OF
he Orient In part he says: tC
81 believe that the proposed changes /
4 the tariff would injure present bust 7
ess stability. The reduction of the
uties will mean that wages in the /
Industries affected will have to be re-
need We cannot compete with for {
ign labor at the present wages. The
alue of money, on the other hand,
Iould be increased Goods would he I
heaper. and the consumer would be 7
bic TO buy as much with his reduced :
ages as he can with his present in
ONE think the present proposed /
pductions are too great. and. if adopt s
d. will cause a business depression" :
One could go on indefinitely giving
lie expression of opinion on the Tn Y
erwood bill; but the above are prob I