The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-01-27
some LATE CABLE NEWS.
SENATOR LODGES EFFORTS IN
THE SENATE.
He is in Favor of Granting a Subsidy
of $4,000 Year--The Press Rates
will be One-fourth.

Senator Lodge of Massachusetts has
reintroduced bill in the senate to
encourage the laying of cable from
California to the Hawaiian Islands.
with II clause granting a subsidy of
$4,000. Il year for twenty years.
Congressman Taylor of Ohio has
also introduced in the house bill
providing for the construction of a
cable to the Hawaiian Islands and ia
pan, and authorizing the postmaster
general to contract for the payment
by the United States of a sum not eX-
ceeding 100000 a year for twenty
years for the transmission. by electri-
cal means, of messages of the United
States from San Francisco to Honolu-
In, and by way of the Midway Islands
TO such points on the coast of Japan
as may be determined. The contract
shall require the contractor as a con-
dition of the continuance of payment
to accept a transfer of the concession
granted August -. 1895, by the Ha-
waiian government to u. s. Spaldng.
and to fully comply with the terms
thereof. This shall not apply. how
ever. unless the concession shall.
Nllnlu one lHOllH Vi Int DuSSdSt Ol
this act, be transferred to the United
States.
The contract shall be let by adver-
tisement and to the lowest bidder. The
contractor shall he required to lay and
operate before January l, 1899, a line
of submarine telegraph extending
from San Francisco to Honolulu, and
within one year thereafter shall ex-
tend it to the coast of Japan. This
line shall be capable of transmitting
not less than fifteen words per minute
and the bill provides that the contrac-
tor shall have the right to establish a
landing station on Midway Island in
the Pacific Ocean, belonging to the
United States. The messages of the
United States shall be carried over
the lines of the contractor free OF
charge forever. The rates for ordina-
ry messages shall be 35 cents per sin
gle word to Honolulu. and $1.25 n
word to Japan. The press rates shall
be one-fourth of the ordinary rates.
The San Francisco Bulletin of Jan
uary 18th, published after the depar-
ture of the Belgic. says:
Telegraphic communication with
Hawaiian Islands may become a mat
ter of national policy. The bill of
Senator Lodge is doubtless introduce
ed in the belief that the Islands win
become part of the United States Tn
such event it will become matter of
importance that no other nation shall
have closer news connection with the
Islands than the United States. The
argument that if we do not do GER
tain thing some other nation will is
an application of a principle which
controls private business. business
house may decline an investment that
would shorten its route to some of its
connections until such time as It is
informed that if it does not help con-
struct the route, some competing firm
will do so, and get the benefit derived
from the shorter route.
The United States on the same prn-
ciple. might get along without tele-
graphic communication with Hawaii
as long as the Islands remain uncon-
nected by wire with the commercial
world; but if one nation is to have
such connection, certainly the nation
that owns the Islands should have.
In times of peace telegraph lines are
open to all who are able and willing
TO pay tolls, but in times of war lines
may be closed at the pleasure of the
government in whose territory they
are constructed.