The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-19
A BIG ISSUE.
What Are We to Do With Pearl
River?
A Thorough Discussion of the
Question by Hon. L. A.
ThursfOn.

"W hat are We to do with Pearl
River" is one of the most important
now before the country. 1t seems to
me that it is essential that there
shall be a clear understanding con-
corning what has been and is pro-
posed before we can intelligently
accede to or refuse such proposal.
In the first place there is much
unnecessary confusion in the terms
used concerning what is proposed to
be done. In the newspaper discus
sions of the subject, the phrases,
"Ceding Pearl River" "Cession of
Pearl River" "Cession of Territory"
ETC., are constantly used. ALI of
these phrases are misleading. from
the fact that it Is not and never has
been proposed that any territory
should be coded to the United States
at Pearl River, for the simple reason
that the Hawaiian Government does
not own one foot of soil in that
vicinity. This fact has been stated
before; but there are those who, like
our esteemed friend Mr.. Davies, still
roll the territorial cession" theory
as q sweet morsel under their
tongues and are fond of manufactur-
ing bugaboos so that they may have
the credit Of rushing to the rescue
when the bugaboo is supposed to be
about to bite.
If the United States desires to
acquire any land at Pearl River,
either in fee simple or by way of
leasehold, the only way that it can
do so is to acquire the title from the
private owners thereof. This it has
the right to do, either with or with
out treaty, in precisely the same
manner that it has for years held
the lease of a lot on the Esplanade
in Honolulu.
THE PROPOSITION.
What has been proposed in the
past, and what is now proposed, is
simply that the Hawaiian Govern
ment shall grant to the United
States Government franchise to do
certain things at Pearl Harbor, upon
the same principle that it has grant
ed charter to the Wilder Steam
ship Company and to the Oahu Rail
way and Land Company to do GER
tain things in Hawaiian waters and
on the Island of Oahu. The fact
that it has granted franchise to
these two corporations does not
mean that it has parted with any of
its powers as government, and the
fact that it is proposed that the Ha-
waiian Government shall grant a
franchise to the United States Gov
eminent to dig out the sand at the
entrance to Pearl River, to sail its
ships into the water of the lagoon
and allow them to drop their anchors
in the mud at the bottom, does not
mean that it has parted, or proposes
to part, with any of its sovereignty
or Jurisdiction, any more than
though the same privilege was
granted to the Oahu Railway and
Land Company or to Wilder's
Steamship Company. The fact that
the grantee is in one case govern
ment and in the other case a corpor-
alton does not change the character
of the franchise. In both cases the
autonomy, the sovereignty, the juris-
diction-whatever name you may
call it by, they all mean the same
thing-remains exactly the same.
A TREASURE IN THE MUD.
The power to grant this franchise
undoubtedly exists in the Hawaiian
Government, and is to-day one of its
most valuable assets. Like other
valuable assets, however, it is valu-
able only if it is made use of. Punch
bowl might be full to the brim with
diamonds and gold coin, but unless
they were taken out and made use of
they would be of no more value to
the country than so much dirt and
rock; and the fact that the Hawaiian
Government had within its reach
this untold treasure would not pay a
single Postal Savings Bank deposition
nor build a foot of road, nor help
open up single new industry, unless
it acted with intelligence and com.
mon sense and made use of it. In
precisely the same manner Pear
Harbor is of immense value If it il
intelligently made use of. For 6
thousand years it has been nothing
but mud and rocks and water, and il
will continue to be nothing but muG
and rocks and water for another
thousand years if the shellbacks and
demagogues of this community, ano
those whose financial interests are
bettered by diverting trade away
from the United States, are to have
control of its destiny.
Having this valuable property, thi:
casket of diamonds and gold, are VIZ
to lock it up and mount guard ovel
it, and allow no one to use it? OF. arr
we going to try to get some value
out of it for ourselves and our pos
terity? If we are to do the latter
how is it to be dones
/ submit that the course to be fol
lowed is as plain as the nose on
mans face.
Look at the situation of Hawaii to
day, and what stares US in the face.
NO CRASH IN SUGAR.
MIR. L. III. Davies says that Their
has been "no crash in sugar.
Whether there has been or not
simply Juggling with terms. As
matter of fact, one half the people O