Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-02
LOOK INTO SUGAR AGAIN


: Many in Hawaii have been under the impress
sion that Cuban sugar interests have been be
hind the movement for free sugar. Perhap
some Of them have been helping on the Ipdue
ton as Cuban costs OF production are very 10y
when compared with American beet and can
sugar. -
1t appears, however, that not all of the Gu
ban producers are in favor of fhe fullfledge'
free sugar program that is now under way. ]!
letter to the New York Journal of Commerce
from Il. b. Hawley, president of the Cuban
American Sugar Company, shows that at leas
one very large Cuban interest has no desire +
see the American sugar industry DESTROYED il
order that MONA American producers may make
little more money Mr.. Hawley's letter, ad
dressed to the editor of the Journal of Con.
lnerce, reads as follows.
SIR: protest against recent article in its en-
tirety as misleading IN every point There is no
doubt Of the PAPERS good faith, but an Intelligent
and responsible Journal should be reasonably OF
the facts before presenting them to its confding
readers.
Il is unmportant to discuss the question of neces-
sary revenues: that is for tho Government to con-
slider and decide, and is matter Of policy; but
for more than century of our national life. sugar
has borne its proportion Of the nations expense and
today. under this influence, sugar production has
grown until all needs are provided IN and about
our OWE shores, and at prices within the reach OF
the humblest consumer What you propose now
under the bill adopted by the last Congress is to 4
destroy the of rs cent of this supply
a large of country aad countrys posses
sions.
In dealing with this matter speaking for your in.
formants lyon they assert that the administra-
ton cannot afford to take backward step and
acknowledge itself in the wrong after 1t has SO
strsnuousy fought for the free sugar theory This
is new view of life, is it not If the administration
can bo m III Is
apprehension of the effects of the free sugar theory
1t will destroy Investments exceeding hundred mil
lion dollars and abandons the production of over
S00O 900 of sugar from the present of
plies it is probable that the administration would
will follow Immediately the adoption Of sugar
is ct hand and incontrovertibe BY an authoritative
witness. You say:
More important than this is the information re-
eeiyed here to the effect that the Government has
been advised that the Louisiana sugar industry is in
satisfactory condition and has fear Of the stu
alton which it will have to face under the free
sugar system. This information conveyed to
Secretary McAdoo during his recent visit to New
Orleans when 1t positively stated to him that
the business in good condition and expected to
be So #E
cannot controvert the fact that the statement was
made to Secretary McAdOo, but the statement was
not authentic-it Is not true The cane industry in
Louisiana is parayzed and hopeless under the inn
pending fate of free sugar schedule There is not
sugar planter, nor banker, nor merchant in New
Orleans who win not promptly confirm this state
ment and give you unauestionable reasons for the
H.
{, of sugar from present annual supplies.
Very similar information, it is asserted, was
ceiyed from beet growing sections, There has been
but little complaint from the of either kind
OF sugar since the adoption of the tariff. On the
contrary there has been but little ese and constant
preparation the part of both cane and beet grow
ers for rehearng for this most important industry
before Congress and the administration itself the
moment it is opportune to present it.
If the present schedule is persistently maintained
1t is calculated that loss of two to three hundred
thousand tons Of beet sugar win follow: more than
half the output of Porto Rico. which this last year
900 TONS and third to half of the pro-
itlction of Hawaii What is to replace the serious
loss in suppess Europe, Java and probably in the :
end Cuba In the meantime the American people
accustomed to sugar in abundance and at low
prices; it is today under the existing tariff the low
est food product consumed by the American people.
In view of the foregoing statements, which can be
confirmed from every country cited, and every
sumer alike TO be punished. why should not the
Government re-examine this question and in the full
light of conditions make for the betterment and
happiness of all concerned, which embraces every
citizen and every home in cur country?
Certainly there can be no good reason fol
granting the request that the sugar situation
shall again be canyaSsed on the basis of fact
and present-day conditions. If we are correctly
informed, the Washington administration is not
unfavorable to a consideration of uncolore,
facts -~->' t..t E..-
Some of the critics who say to Mr.. Wilson