The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-02-15
T. AcK OF DUTY sa
L. ON SUGAR FATAL

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EIias Wolf, president Of the cInsular
OIramber of Commerce of Porto Rico,
has sent n setter on the question of
tile Sliahf tariff 10 Prank 9. Lowry,
sales manager Of the Federal Sugar Re.
fninR Company, of New York, In which
he saws. " Ana tat rsiGtt 80
t..fn answer 10 iifd REPUTATION of your
fetJeated and extensive writings, with
aredn,ehts IN favor Of free sugar for
foreign product (as refners would have
| i'll sAs against the Administration 8
pfeseht plans for the continuation of
i'ustoan House duties now IN force, as
n necessary revenue measure, and also
70 your Urgent recommendation TO Con
eres, Of an excise or consumption tax
on MI sugars (bdth tDemdcfatic and
foreiRh) used In the United States,
venture to submit the following data
TO consumers for their illustration or
information and to Congress for it's
weighty consideration and prompt ac-
ton, viz: q a. 'ifht @-A.
Domestic Sugar Handicapped ''.e.
"FifstAThat domestic sugars cannot
be produced as cheaply (nearly lie a
pound) as foreign sugars, because of
the reduced production of cane to nc. Q
(say average of 20 toms) as compared
with 40 or so tons obtained in Cuba
and other islands, and the necessary. re-
planting at home and in our possessions
at least every three years, while for.
eign virgin and less exhausted fields
than ours obtain ten or more crops
from one planting. As only through
intensive cultivation and liberal use
of fertilizers. costing considerable now
days, can a fair return be got say rs
above stated 20 tons of cane average
per acre, the cost must result 50 muen
higher than from more favored soils
that are so abundant in foreign lands,
thus, explaining the higher cost of pro-
due ton in our dependencies, and Lou.
isiana.
"Second-The important fact that
Porto Rico, Hawaii, etc, levy no duties
ON American products, of which they
are no mean buyers porto Rico taking
forty million dollars per annum), while
customs are high in Cuba and other
markets on American products, proves
that it is only q lust reciprocity and
at the same time, boon to Americaif
producers in an lines, thus, beneftting
tne OnlJed states laDOTlng men TO Ia
great extent, and which trade will soon
shrink considerably if the buying ca.
pacity of our SAID islands were curtail-
ed by the ruin and disappearance of
the sugar industry, which as IL well
known, constitutes their mainstay, or
principal industry, representing MANY
million dollars that would suffer BY
free sugar.
Out Down Consumption
This would mean 80 much less con.
sumption of American manufacturers
and products in general, as these is.
lands draw nearly their entire reouire-
ments from the United States. and il
would be soon felt by all now interest
ed in trade with these United States
dependencies, and particularly by the
American Steamship lines. now doing A
remunerative business there, for which
thore would be no further use. with
the lessened traffic that would follow
with the reduced outnut of spyars thus
representing another great setback 10
American interests and labor
Third-That the fostering of the
home or domestic production of sugars
on the mainland and in our OUTLYING
possessions constitutes a safeguard for
our consumers RRainst any possible
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