Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-01-26
BACK AT MAXIM. -

Editor Hrmui.II Stal BuleCiu
Sir: have read MlAims letter
III your issue of Jan 20 inst. and beg
10 say that he seems TO me- 10 be
strong on sarcasm and weak on sound
arguments but | would like to remind
him that such stuff has no weight
with reasonable people
! notice tee that Maxim has got
me down this time as sailor; but |
should Judge by - tone of his Letter
that he is one himself and that he
knows more about handling a Delay
ing pir or marlin spike than he
does about the ast-WiSe shipping
laws
Maxim also says that in his opin-
ion some people could hide their
light or all they know about the coast
wise shipping laws under a thimble,
but 1t is the opinion Of this writer
that some other writer's that are no
less cOck-sure could hide their knOwl-
edge Of the same under an article just
as small
Now about that dare" that Maxim
mas so much to talk shout and which
shows lhat If he does nor know that
there is any amount OF people here
who dare not advocate the suspension
of these laws, he knows very little
about the conditions here.
In regard TO the japanese cane
planting contractors. il is admitted by
anyone who knows anything about the
sugar-cane industry that this is NO
laughing matter. In fact, il is well
known by them that this contracting
business. on plantations. has been a
most expensive method. and which
alone. has helped to cripple many of
the plantation and has been serious
loss TO nearly all of them
And / could mention one plantation
which IS possibly in the worst condi-
tion OF all, that expects to succeed by
cutting out this contract method. So
! don't see just where the laugh comes
in in this business.
1t may also be admitted that | did
say that ! might be wrong about these
laws, but ! showed concusively that
was right, andstha | think as a
great many other men do is no rea-
son that | should say that | do not.
], however, claim to have an op.n-
ion on this subject, Maxim notwtth-
standing. lit
Maxim asks Why the plantation
owners do not build ships to carry the
sugar if there is 80 much money to
be made by them; = but if he does not
know this it IS another evidence that
he knows but little about the condi-
ton of things here. But for his ben
eft, Will say, 1t is generally sup
posed to be because the agents own
the chief interest in these ships, and
though they do not own the planta-
tons they dominate and control them,
and the shareholders are nothing but
puppets in their hands. Here is an
instance: 4 short time ago the agents
of a certain plantation called meet
ing to discuss certain improvements
that were to be made on this planta-
ton, but when they, the stockholders
arrived there, they were told that the
directors had been called together the
day before and had decided to do so
and so, and they supposed that the
SLdI6lOlu6IS "Oulu app OhC anu IuC
meeting was dismissed.
This is one of the ways things are
done in Honolulu, but very few peo-
pie seem to know it.
Here are a few things in a nutshell
that are likely to cripple, if not de
stroy, the sugar cane industry of these
islands, and incidentally endanger the
prosperity of this city and county.
First, the high salaries paid to man
ayers and others; second. the con
tract system, unless greatly modified;
third, the high commission ana, inter
est paid to the agents for furnishing
the plantations with supplies, and for
selling of the sugar, as we'll as fotsthe
monopoly they have in ships andk in
shipping the sugar.
And last, but not least, the coast
wise shipping laws, which give n IN
lis tah99lss eea!Ipra,n george p.at,r q
quartermaster; Captain Williaf
Warham, commissary; Captain 4
!. W. Nicely, inspector of small II
practice. If
ch," Upon the recommendation oil
ster commanding officer Of the firsh
tor. talon, LIST infantry:
he 1st Lieut.. Charles R. Frazief
iNNfo o. i e