The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-03-21
lrrom wednesaay Advertiser.l

Members of the sugar protection com
mittee held two meetings yesterday and
the reports received resulted in gen
eral feeling of cheerfulness and encour-
agement, due to the enthusiasm with
which the business men of this city, ir-
respective of their line of activities,
have jumped into the ring for fght
to a finish for protection to the sugar
industry of this Territory by advocat-
ing tariff on raw sugar.
At the morning session of the COM
mittee the insurance men of the city
had delegation present and outlined
their campaign, which is to reach every
insurance agency in the country with
arguments for protection to sugar. Ihe
committee urged the insurance men
cut out as much of the stereotyped
matter as possible and insert the per-
sonal paragraph in their letters, as be-
ing more effective in the long run.
At the afternoon session figures were
submitted showing the immense volume
of trade between these islands and San
Francisco, yet this exposition city has
done little to save this trade for it
self.
1t was shown that the total ship
ments to Hawaii during 1912, were
valued at $2s,0O0,O0O, of which $22,-
100000 was from Pacific Coast ports,
and of this great amount $lS,OOO,OOO
came from San Francisco alone.
On the other hand merchandise eX-
ported from Hawaii was the great total
of SOL ,OO0,000f of which $26,9OO,OOO
went to Pacific Coast ports and of this
amount practically all of it, or $780,
100000 went to San Francisco.
The committee believes that when
the business men of San Francisco
realize that the ruin of the sugar in
dustry will not only affect their own
State disastrously, but make differ
ence of millions in their business with
Hawaii, they Will also jump into the
ring in behalf of tariff on foreign
sugars.
other figures shown are interesting
as showing that while in 1897 it cost
only $3l ton to market the sugar of
Hawaii, il now costs $52 a ton to ac-
complish the same work, yet the price
of sugar has practically remained the
same for all of these years and is as
low now as at almost any time to the
consumer
Chairman George r. Carter called at
tention to the lact that no answer
has been made to the free trade argu-
meHts about sugar before the house
ways and means committee, and eX-
pressed surprise that California busi-
ness men did not refute the fruit can
ners petition for free sugar.
George b. Curtis was present and
stated that he would sail for the Coast
on Friday and take with him arguments
for presentation before all the Ad Clubs
of the country showing the advertising
men that the result of free sugar will
rebound only to the pront of the sugar
trust and ruin an industry which would
react upon business generally, as well
as on those activities directly depend
ent upon the sugar industry, outside
of the refining end.
A proposition was made to enlist
Walter G. Smith, now in Ontario, in
the campaign and this matter will be
taken up with the promotion committee
at the session this morning.
Many reports were received from
business men indicating that hundreds
of letters have already been written,
and it is proposed that several thou
sand personal letters should go out on
the steamship Sonoma when it sails for
the Coast next Friday.
Time is short and the special session
convenes on April 7, at which the sugar
tariff Will be under fire.