Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-12
CARTER CALLED BEFORE LOBBY PROBE COMMITTEE, GIVES
SENATORS FACTS AND FIGURES ON HAWAIIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY

Nhfn tEe senate cGmUlltec fnNeS.
tigating the charges of insidiOus lob.
bying called the representatives OF
Hawaii to the stand, some valuable
testimony was given. The story Of he
hearing Is graphically told by the evil
denee itself. Former Governor George
r. Carter WAS the first witness called.
and he was followed hy 3. VI. BalI0u,
X. d. Mead, E. Z. Paxton, Walter G.
Smith and others. The details of the
hearing are extremely valuable TO
Hawaii for two main reasons-first,
because thew hiring forth much infOr-
nation on local conditions, and see.
Ondly because they point out lines Of
work that HaWaii may follow i'm fight
ing free-sugar, and show where con-
gressmen smqy he enlightened as TO
local conditions The Star.Bulletin
will publish from week to week these
official reports Of the hearings.]
Testimony of George r. Carter.
(The witness was sworn by the
chairman.)
Senator Walsh. Governor, where
DO you live?
Mr.. Carter. | was born in Hawaii,
and my parents were born there be.
fore me, and am living there still.
Senator Walsh. You were at one
time governor of the islands, were
you?
Mr.. Carter. Yes.
Senator Walsh. When?
Mr.. Carter. From 1903 to 1907.
Senator Walsh. What business do
you follow in the islands?
Mr.. Carter. At present?
Senator Walsh. Yes.
Mr.. Carter. look after my own
affairs, and am director in a num-
Der of financial institutions and phil
anthropic institutions which take up
most of my time. / may say that
give most of my time to philanthropy.
| have library that / am very much
Interested in. collection of Polyne-
STA, and my mornings are occupied in
my library and my afternoons gen.
orally are given to work down town.
/ have no active business engage
ment that keeps me employed stead
lily. am practically retired.
Senator Walsh. To what extent
are you interested in sugar produc-
ton in the islands?
Mr.. Carter. Like everyone in Ha
wall, am interested in it to the ex-
tent of everything that have there.
may say, Senator, If you will par
don me, that the whole framework OF
our industrial structure is built on
sugar
Senator Walsh. What other ex-
ports do you send out?
Mr.. Carter. We send out a small
quantity of pineapples and SOME
little coffee. ALI of our exports are
insignificant in comparison with SUI
gar. a. -
Senator Walsh. What is the an
nual production of sugar in the isl
ands? a.
Mr.. Carter. Last year it was $685.
900 short tons.
Senator Wish. Did that repre-
sent the high-water mark of produc-
ton, or had it been higher?
Mr.. Carter. That is the high-water
mark.
Senator Walsh What was The
production, we will say, ten years
ago?
Mr.. Carter It would be very diff
cult for me to give you the exact fig
ures. Annexation was 13 years ago.
could not give it offhand l have
the statistics here in my pocket, !
think.
Senator Walsh I shall be glad to
have you refer to them.
Mr.. Carter. May refer to mem
orandum that / have made?
Senator Walsh. Yes.
Mr.. Carter. have not the produc-
ton for every year, but can give you
the production in 1905 and 1895.
Senator Walsh. What was it in
1905?
Mr.. Carter. Four hundred and
twenty-six thousand short tons. Ten
years previous it was 2z7,000 short
tons, and 10 years before that it was
$4,000 short TONS.
Senator Walsh. Have you any re-
fineries in the islands?
Mr. Carter. One sugar company
refines sugar. T.. p. ~
Senator Walsh What is the capa-
city of the refinery? ..,.
MIR, Garter. 4 could not tell you.
The output OF the place is less than
10000 short tons. ~.
Senator Walsh. What do you mean
ty the output of the place, as dis
tinguished from the capacity of the
refinery? =. = o. KAN.
Mr.. Carter. 1t raises it's own sugar
and refnes it in the process of pro-
duction. H.. "a. r..
Senator Walsh. Who owns that re-
finery? ~
Mr.. Carter 1t is owned in San
Francisco, or controlled in San Fran
cisco. -. ....:. ..... .~ ..: ~. -. r.s-
senator Walsh. BY whom? !
Mr.. Carter. do not know the
names of the gentlemen. There are
number of them who are interested
in various enterprises in California,
and they organized this company
some years ago. and they refine their
own sugar and sell their product
largely at home. -. ..a:
Senator Walsh. That is, in the
islands? + 49,. .-.-
Mr.. Carter. Yes. ..:-..
Senator Walsh. Who are the prin-