The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-02-01
SIR, Dillingham; Addresses the
Portuguese.
FACTS AND FIGURES.
Comm. rciaI Development Undrr the
Treaty.

Benevolent Society's hall Saturday
evening, speaking as follows:
Gentlemen and fellow citizens:
come before you this evening by
special request of the Portuguese
voters of the Third ward. 1t was
my intention TO avoid all possible re-
ference in future to the name of my
special political opponent, and 1
shall do so this evening, replying only
to certain charges made against me
and man who has been true and
faithful friend to the whole country,
MIR. l.. A. Thurston. | am sorry that
gentleman is not here to speak to you
tonight, but he has gone out of town
to fulfil previous engagement. l am
requested to state to you the facts
concerning the statement made by
G. w. Ashford to the effect that l..
A. Thurston, when Minister of the
Interior, gave the o. r. & l.. Co.
deed to one-half the harbcr for
bride of five shares of stock in that
solutely false, and without any
foundation whatever. 2. The o. Il.
& l.. Co. or any other railway cor
poraLion formed under the laws of
this kingdom are entitled by law to
receive aid from the Government,
and the Minister of the Interior,
whoever he may be, is duly author
lied under those laws to deed over to
any railway company or companies
for railway purposes, the free use of
fright of way through all Govern
ment lands, and to grant such Gov
eminent lands as may be necessary
for their buildings, stations, depots
and stores, or other structures, and
also the free use of water. 1t may
make such piers, jetties, stations,
sidings, wharves, warehouses, toll
houses and other houses, yards, en-
gines, machinery, signal posts and
other apparatus, works and convent
ences whatever, connected with the
railway, as the corporation may think
| proper, and may from time to time
alter, repair or discontinue any such
apparatus, works and conveniences,
and substitute others in their stead"
This is quoted from the general Rail
way law of 1878, nine years before
MIR. Thurston became member of the
Cabinet, and seven years before l
ever thought of building railway in
this country or anywhere else. The
o. R. & l.. Co. hold no grant by
deed of any harbor property from the
Government excepting small piece
of 62-l00 of an acre next to King
street, which was bought at public
auction in May, 1891, for $500. The
lease of narrow strip of frontage to
deep water on the harbor made for a
term of ten years can be cancelled by
the Government at any time after
ninety days notice has been given,
and payment made the Railway Com
pany for Improvements created by
them. Had Mr.. Thurston alone made
the lease referred to, he would only
have been doing his duty as required
by law; but even in this he had the
approval of his act through the sig
natures of the other three members
of the Cabinet, which includes the
name of G. w. Ashford. Mr.. Thurs
ton not only did not give the Rail
way Company an inch of harbor pro-
perty, but absolutely refused to
grant what the law appears TO au-
thorize, telling me personally that if
l insisted upon my Interpretation of
the law he would take the mat
ter into Court. Now, gentlemen, l
will leave il to your good sense if it
is not quite as absurd to accuse
either MIR. Thurston or myself of
dishonesty in the matter in question,
AS it would be to accuse the members
of the Legislature of 1878 of having
been bribed by me to pass the gen
eral railway act. The partial free
trade treaty with the United States
enjoyed by this country since 1876,
was obtained after long and per-
sistent effort had been made by diff
fe'ent representatives from this coun-
try. Prior to the last effort made by
this country to secure the treaty of
1876, Mr.. G. A. Castle, son OF the
Hon. S. N. Castle, drew up petit
ton in regard to the advantages
which would accrue to this country
from a reciprocity treaty with the
United States, which seems now like
prophecy. l canvassed this city
for three days with the petition to
the King and Cabinet, urging the
necessity of immediate action on the
part of the Government to secure
from America special commercial adj
vantages by which We might send
into the market of that country, free
of duty, our chief and almost only
products, rice and sugar. The bust
ness of the kingdom, its revenue
from the Custom House and tax re-
ceipts, had been steadily declining
since 1870. here was then only a
few small schooners and one steamer
plying between the islands of this
group. One could stand ut the juno
ton Of Fort and King streets at GER
tain days in the week, during bust
ness hours, and look in either direc-
tion without seeing more than perhaps
one or two persons within quarter