Question

What role did the McKinley Tariff play in gaining Hawaii as US state?

Answer 1

Answer:

It caused the Hawaiian sugarcane market to be undersold by the American

producers which led to an economic depression that swept the islands

Explanation:

McKinley was the representative of an industrial group interested in high protectionist tariffs. Due to his position on this issue and the support of James Sherman for the presidency in 1888, McKinley got a seat on the budget committee of the House of Representatives, and also became close to influential Ohio entrepreneur Markus Hannah. In 1889, McKinley was elected chairman of the committee and became the main author of the law bearing his name in 1890 (McKinley Tariff Bill), which established high import tariffs. The law slightly reduced duties on some types of goods and significantly (up to 18%) increased them on others. At the same time, it gave the president broad powers to raise and lower tariff rates for Latin American states for political reasons or in the form of reprisals.

The McKinley Tariff eliminated the trade advantage of Hawaii sugar producers, who relied overwhelmingly on American markets, - it was done by entering sugar on the duty-free list and granting a bounty to American sugar growers. Thus, the Hawaiian economy experienced depression, and as a result, growers of white sugar advocated for establishment of an American protectorate or outright annexation.