The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-27
ONTW0QUEST|ONS
Cable and Annexation as Topics
in an Interview.
Gen. A. S. HARTWELL HOME
Gen. SCrymSer's Statement-L Line
Soon In Washington--Sena
Hoar-Leading Americans.
Gen. A. S. HARTWELL HOME

Gen. A. S. Hartwell did not look at
all weary or travel worn, when, eight
or ten hours after he had landed from
the S. S. City of Peking on Christmas
Day, he was interviewed by a repre-
sentative Of this paper. Gen. Hartwell
is home from the United States and
has been in Washington and New
York. To vary the usual program of
the period in cases of this sort, the first
question was concerning cable instead
of in re annexation. In New York,
General Hartwell met General Scrym-
ser, of the Pacific Cable Company. This
is the corporation in which ]. Pier
pOnt Morgan is interested with other
we'll known capitalistic colleagues. On
the subject General Scrymser said that
they expected to have a line in opera
ton between the California coast and
the Hawaiian Islands with year or
Is months. This is to be one branch
or section of a new system or arrange
ment. The amalgamation or finished
new route or routes of communication
will include communication with Jap
an and China, with New Zealand and
Australia, with the Islands of the
South Pacific and with Vladivostock
and the Siberian telegraph lines. For
himself, General Hartwell did not have
much to say upon this subject, merely
stating what had been told to him in
New York. 1t is we'll known that the
Honolulu man is en- rapport with all
cable planning and it is more than
half suspected that he could speak by
the card in the premises if he choose.
The fact that he has been in New York
talking cable is significant in connec-
tiOn with his associations in this field
of enterprise, and taken with recent
mail advices indicating that a day of
cable activity in the Pacific is close at
hand.
In Washington, General Hartwell had
the pleasure of chat with Speaker
Reed, but did not talk Hawaii or Ha-
waiian affairs to the master of the
House. This was merely a friendly
meeting at which the visitor from
Hawaii stated in the beginning that he
was not on hand to talk annexation.
The two gentlemen had met many
times before. General Hartwell likely
felt that if the Speaker desired infor-
nation on Hawaii it would be solicited.
Speaker Reed is keenly alive to the
weight of the pending issue in the
United States and to the import of the
stupendous questions which Congress
ic hoino co11oH l1nOn tn handle
General Hatrwell sent his card to
Senator Hoar in the rooms of the
Judiciary Committee near the Senate
chamber in the Capitol Building. A
prompt reply inviting an immediate
call was the result Senator Hoar had
evidently been looking for just a man
as had sent the card. General Hart
we'll was quietly, but almost literally
put upon the witness stand and kept
there for full three-quarters of an
hour The General did not say so in
these words, but it was clear from his
remarks on the interview that he was
asked about as many questions during
his visit to the committee room as he
himself cares to put in a court room
during the same length of time. The
inquiries were close and searching, and
naturally were of such a nature as a
man of the ability and position of Sem
ator Hoar would lodge. He wanted to
know all about the natives and about
the various reform movements and
leading incidents that had finally
reached a climax in the establishment
of the Republic. Senator Hoar's
father, by the way, was an extreme
abolitionist and was very prominent
in that political wing in its very earli-
est days During this portion of the
examination (relating to the native or
monarchial Goverment) and at its end.
Senator Hoar endorsed the course of
those who had established the new or
der The Senator was most particular
and careful and thorough when speck-
ing light concerning the actual military
or strategic value of the Islands as
a portion of the United States. General
Hartwell is satisfied for himself that
Senator Hoar is paying most attention
to the value of the Islands as an Am
erican outpost. The veteran Republl-
can is weighing and considering this
feature with the greatest care. 1t
might almost be said that his ultimate
determination as to his attitude toward
the whole question hinges on his in
vestigatiOn along the line Of the mill
tary worth Of the Islands.
General Alger, Secretary of War