The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-18
THE LEGISLATURE.
One Hundred aud Twenty Fifth
Day.
THURSDAY, Nov. II.

THURSDAY, Nov. II.
The House was called to order at
1910 A,l4d. Minutes of the 124th day
read and approved.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Noble Williams reported Bills 1924,
1873, 1879, POI and a report of the SAM
tary Committee printed.
Rep. Ashford presented a lengthy
minority report on the o. S. 5. Co.'s
subsidy. Laid on the table for con-
sideration with majority report.
To the Hon. JOHN s. WALKER, Presi-
dent of the Legislature.
SIR: The undersigned, being a mi
nority of the committee appointed TO
consider the proposed item for subsidy
to the Oceanic Steamship Company, beg
leave to report as follows:
We agree, in the main, with the con-
illusions reached in the report OF the ma
j1rity of the committee, but we dissent
from the conclusion that no evidence
was adduced to the committee OF any
pooling arrangement between the Oceanic
and Pacific Mail S. 5. Companies, with
respect to the Hawaiian traffic. When
Col. Spreckels was before the committee
he represented the following facts as
having existed, VIZ:
About the time of the acquisition by
the Oceanic Co. of the steamers Austria.
liza and Zealandia, and the abandonment
of the Australian route by the Pacific
Mail Co., it was proposed by the Oceanic
ii clyol a n "
acting for said company to put one OF
its steamers on the coast route from San
Francisco to Mexican and Central Amer
lean ports. This purpose having come to
the notice of the Pacific Mail Co., that
company made ovcrtures to the Oceanic
Co., to prevent its being carried into Eff
feet. as competition with its traffic on
that route would have been the result OF
such action on the part OF the Oceanic
Co.
The conclusion, in short, OF that nego-
tiation was, as reported by Col. Spreck-
els to the committee, that a bargain was
struck between the two companies, by
the terms of which the Oceanic Co. kept
its hands out of the west coast traffic OF
Mexican and Central American ports,
for the consideration that the Pacific
Mail should leave the Oceanic Co. a free
hand and monopoly in the traffic be-
tween San Francisco and Hawaii, and
vice versa. The bargain in question
went into effect, and remained in effect,
and was adhered TO by the two parties
thereto for several years, and Hawaii
was thereby deprived OF the benefit of
competition in steam transportation to
San Francisco which she would other
wise have enjoyed.
It seems entirely clear to us that the
bargain concerning the traffic OF the two
routes mentioned, in manner as was
avowed to the committee by the head Of
the Oceanic Co., constituted a "pool,"
within the meaning in which that word
is commonly used in connection with
transportation matters. But, as the evil
dence further shows that the bargain or
pool in question has been allowed to
lapse, and. as there seems to be q pros
pect that the Pacific Mail Co. (since the
deepening of the Honolulu harbor en-
trance) will again compete for the freight
and passenger traffic of this port, the
question of pool or no pool is no longer a
practical one,
THE HILo ROUTE.
We agree to the proposition that Hilo
should enjoy some of the benefits of di-
rect steam communication with San
Francisco, but would insert conditions
different from those suggested by the
majority of the committee We are will
ing that Hilo should have a monthly
steamer from the Coast, but think, in
opposition to the majority report, and
after fully considering the opinions of
Messrs. Spreckels, Irwin, King and
Fuller, that we cannot reasonably ex-
pect the steamers to arrive at Honolulu,
via Hilo, on the seventh, nor before the
eighth day out from San Francisco.
We consider the estimate OF
time made in the majority re-
port, as being much too sanguine, and
as not taking sufficiently into account
dents, etc. mot to mention the landing
difficulties at Hilo. Also that, accept
ing as accurate, the opinion of Mr.. Irwin,
as expressed to the commfttee), it can
not be expected that the steamer. will
arrive at Hilo before the morning of the
seventh day out from San Francisco. Mr..
Irwin was quite positive upon the point
that, if such service should be adopted,
the speed of the vessel on the down trip
would be so reduced as to bring her of
Hilo harbor on the morning of the
seventh day, rather than encounter the
difficulties and possible dangers of an
entrance, anchorage and landing of pas
sengers and mails in that harbor after
dark.
No mathematical calculations as to dis.
lance will overcome the aversion of the
company to the greater expense involved
in the increased consumption of coal
necessary to bring their steamers to HilC
before dark of the sixth day out from
San Francisco.
While admitting that the Australia
could be readily sent over that distance
in six days, we hope that vessel will not
be put into that service. We submit
that Honolulu, and the Islands and dis.
tricts of the group Immediately tributary
to Honolulu, are entitled to the quickest
practicable service hence from San Fran
cisco, and that this House should dc
nothing to in any manner imperil or inn
pair the present efficiency of the direct
service from that port to Honolulu. We
believe that, with the sending OF the
Australia via Hilo, would arise the
danger, if not the absolute certainty OF
the delay Of the San Francisco mail in
reaching Honolulu, until the eighth day
from the coast. In this age of CONNER.
cial development, when vast interests
depend upon the swiftness of the trans.
mission of intelligence, it would, we
think, be extremely unwise to place the
capital OF this nation, and through it, the
entire country, in less advanced posi-
ton than they now occupy, by lengthen-