The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-07-02
AMERICAN. TRADE
AND SUGAR TARIFF
Influences At Work As Result OF
War Changing American
Sentiment

Perhaps no truCr prophecy has ever
boon made than the ono advanced by
Governor Pinkham in his Kamehamcha
Day address at San Francisco, that the.
political future of this Territory rests
with the American people more than II
does with Hawaii. Ever since the Span
ish war tho American people have
given more and more of their attention
to the West ludies, Central and South
America. The European war has
caused renewal of this interest.
The Pan American Financial Confer
once which was in session in Washing
ION during the week ending May 20 is
said to have been one of the most i'm
portant international meetings which
has ever been called together in tn,
Western Hemisphere. Consideration OF
the marvellous trade opportunities which
Top,sse TO be mutually advantageous
to the United States and her Latin
American nPighbOrs at this moment
oyershadow all other topics of discus
sion.
South American Cane Sugar
- '"hhN 10 bh' dIphSdblUu az dllttIluR
Hawaiif There are twenty one Latin
American countries where cane sugar
Is now being produced. Cuba alone
cane sugar entering the world = mar.
kets and twenty five per cent of what
is grown and consumed. The Peruvian
Brazilian and San DOMINICAN output il
rapidly increasing. From Mexico to
- aa -. n
new plantations are being organized,
| new mills constructed.
The great war has forced the Amer.
lean nations back upon themselves and
is compelling them to consider first
heir own mutual requirements. They
are getting together as never before.
Mutual jcalousies are being forgotten
and the idea of reciprocity is in the
ascendency. The opening up of all
these tremendous trade opportunities
has brought about n change in senti.
ment among the great middle class OF
Americans, that body of citizens whose
votes elect Presidents and create ma
tional policies.
Wars Influence
There can be no gainsaying the fact
that the majority Of the American PEG
pie look upon the European war with
horror and disgust. To most Amer
leans it is needless orgy of carnage.
Europe stepped in militarism ruled and
led by hereditary princes is, destroy
ing what the centuries have builded
and to, mo other purpose than the as,
cenddncy of racial ideals. Europe has
lost its prestige in Western, minds.
A recent visitor to Honolulu stated
that there Is no adjective which more
clearly expresses the popular American
sentiment than the word "disgust al
the exposition which European "mili,
tarism is making of itself land if any,
thing was needed to bring about a per
manent cure from the tendency in some
circles to bow to the supreme ascend
ancy of the military cult this war has
done it,
The nations of North Central and
South America have had this lesson
read TO them that the European Powers
are all imhued with the idea that earth
sea and sky are theirs to do with a.
they Iike-as their whims dictate. Eu.
| rope with its stores of wealth and its
tremendous armamsnts was considered
itself the Big Brother of the universe
| The American republics have been
forced to listen to the diapason of ven
geanrc sung by the European nations
and to stand as passive onloOkers while
one destroyed another.
America ans are Looking South
The onlOOkers are getting together
aud drawing closer to one another.
Trade is the bond that will hold them
together Hence the people Of the
United States, the most powerful of
the American brotherhood, cannot and
will not return to the policies under
| which the great export AMI import
| trade Of the nation has been developed
Low tariffs must succeed high tariffs
Competition with Europe win no Ion
ger be the dominating influence. The
| development of closer trade relation.
ships with Latin America will affect
the entire future and will prevent /
permanent return to the old order OF
things. Popular sentiment has changed
and is changing, and it is well that
| Hawaii should recognize this tendency
and the coming Of these newer ideals
About Tariffs
This has a direct bearing on the
question of whether we will or win not
secure renewal of the protective tar
III on sugar. With popular attention
directed toward South America and the
West Indies there are more men, look
ing that way than this. There is a
growing sentiment that tho domestic
sugar producers are pretty well-to-dt
people and quite able to handle what
ever situation may develop, whereas
Peru, Argentina, Brazil, San Domingo
and Cuba need American assistance
canita, brain and initiative.
Where Hawai- Comes In