The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-09-05

, take in unfurling and keeping his ma
| over the Islands. The amount or ihterna
revenue tax collected the first year unde
the Jurisdiction of the United States wa
s., $50, while last year G91D II was $40. .o'
or an increase Of $3.50, 304. During Uni
same period the American business mel
have disposed of s24O, S57, l22 Of goods mao
| in our mills. workshops, etc. TO the peo
pie of the islands, out of total lmpor
tation of S501 1858, 1856. The year PRIOR u
annexation, the total imports and ex
ports footed up to s23. 1900, and In lsi
they had risen to sT.lA.S ss.
Last year the amount purchased II
the United States was S2s,2o''oss' AM
sS.2S2.55S from our foreign compeIi
tors. OF the last-named amount S2iso'
900 covers purchases made in Japan
and the value of goods Japan bough
last year in the Hawaiian Islands was
only s45,269, leaving a trade balance
against the islands and in favor OF
Japan of s2.450,7SS. Japan's sales IN
the islands in 1890 were s64I,3sa. wnlie
1914 shows an increase OF sl'eoS'S''
over her imports fifteen years ago
Practically all of Japan's exports &c
the islands are made up Oh cottoi
goods. Though the United states pro
duces raw cotton and is supposed &c
have a tariff in the interest OF ts
cotton manufacturers here is Japan
an importer Of raw cotton, with mel
cheap labor-10 cents to % cents pei
d.y working ten TO eleven hours pei
day-entering an American home mar
ket and underselling our cotton man
ufacturers Just as she has succeeueo
under the present low tariff IN ais
posing of goods in the Philippine IS
lands amounting in 1914 to s3,o33'
$40 made up almost entirely or COT
ton goods. With Northern and south,
ern cotton mills in America cioseu
down or running on reduced time anu
thousands Of their employees IDLE anu
without work during the past two years
undar tho new tariff law. we see ia
nan entering two of our insular pos
sessions and selling goods in TWEEN
ty-four months to the value OF more
than sl25OOOOo and practically all
cotton goods; and covering the same
neriod cotton goods sold in the Unlteo
States by our foreign competitors
reached s1O5.211,210. There are mem
hers of. Congress who voted Tor the
present low duties on imported COZ
ton goods, along with many Wrhef'
in newspapers and magazines now
advising and urging our cotton manu-
facturers to seek a market in south
a
couId not meet foreign competition
ar home on our own shores in the
sale of cotton goods TO the value OF
s1O5 911 21O in 1913 and 1914 how can
we have any better success thousanos
Of miles away. with extra broker
age TRANSFORMATION and other charges
not 70 mention longer time In payment
~ the goods? Why not pass tarin
laws under which the amount Wv,
ooo. 900. we now send annually ABROAD
for foreign-made cotton goods can DE
spent in Misunderstanding up some
of our closed mills and giving en-
pioyment to thousands OF iole men
and women.
y While on this subject OF the tariff and
it's inheritance to the cotton industry.
and writing about the Hawaiian Islands,
which have proven so far the most val
able asset the United States have Sc
cured in about half a century. 1t Will not
he amiss to state that a tarin duty on
sugar il absolutely essential to the pros
pertv and Industrial life of the people OF
these islands. The following embraces
the list of leading agricultural products
sugar. pineapples. coffee and rice-susar
and pineapples constituting sl.Ts per cent
of the crop output. 1881 per cent sugar.
and IL IS per cent canned pineappies- IL
requires from thirty to thirty-sx months
to raise a crop of sugar. and the cost or
irrigation and fertilization is essential.
and exceedingly costly. the last item IN
1914 amounting to s3.50o,oOo. As to the
cost of sugar and pineapple farm or
unskilled labor. it Is not only
high, but greater than is paid for farm
labor In a majority Of the states OF the
American Union. The minimum wage Is
SO per month, average wage 80 per
month. In addition. they are furnished
a house, water, fuel and medical at
tendance, estimated to cost employers IS
per laborer. Then there Is bonus paid
the laborers, which. for two years and
ten months ending October 81. 1914. was
10 per cent of their earnings. The bonus
earned from November 1. 1914, to April
30. 1915, was II per cent. In 1910. japanese
farm workers inaugurated strike for
higher wages. According to a recent re-
port issued by the japanese Department
of Finance for 1914, farm laborers are
paid s. 80 a month. about four times less
than they receive for a months work In
the Hawaiian Islands. Under decree of
President Wilson. the Democrats in Con-
gress = his recording machine - ordered
sugar on the free list after May I. 1876
after that date absolutely no legislative
protection Ia to be given that extensive
IN the Cniteu States Ut III Tott
Rico. the Hawaiian or the Philippine
Islands, where the industry means the
very existence Of agricultural life. for no
other profitable crop can be substituted.
There are at present receiving the wages
mentioned on sugar plantations In, the
Hawaiian Islands. H.s50 laborers. You
can fully understand how essential the
constant employment of these people at
good wages il to the continued peace,
welfare. prosperity and happiness of this
American territory. with total popula-
ton OF only 2,50OO. A territory which.
since annexation in 1890. has proven to
be our best. most valuable customer IN
proportion to population we have IN all
the world In addition TO the annual BUSH
ness Of s25.0oo.o 900. which they give the
merchants and business men IN the Uni
ted States. tho amount they annually
contribute &c our national treasury In