(See Chapter liv) HAWAIIAN IMPORTANCE TO AMERICA.
After a full elucidation of the sugar industry of the Sandwich Islands,
its profits and possibilities, he said:
I have dwelt upon this subject to show you that these islands have a
genuine importance to America--an importance which is not generally
appreciated by our citizens. They pay revenues into the United States
Treasury now amounting to over a half a million a year.
I do not know what the sugar yield of the world is now, but ten years
ago, according to the Patent Office reports, it was 800,000 hogsheads.
The Sandwich Islands, properly cultivated by go-ahead Americans, are
capable of providing one-third as much themselves. With the Pacific
Railroad built, the great China Mail Line of steamers touching at
Honolulu--we could stock the islands with Americans and supply a
third of the civilized world with sugar--and with the silkiest,
longest-stapled cotton this side of the Sea Islands, and the very best
quality of rice.... The property has got to fall to some heir, and why
not the United States?