The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-10-04
GEORGE W. SMITH
Gives His Views on Is
land Affairs.
Portland Oregorian Has Pleasant
tertainment Committee.

George w. Smith. of the firm of
Benson. Smith & Co. Honolulu, II. J.,
arrived in Portland yesterday with
his son, Emmett J. Smith. Mr.. Smith
has brought his son to far-away Port
land for the benefits OF schools 10 be
found here. and has selected Bishop
Scott Academy in preference TO schools
of a similar grade elsewhere on the
Pacific coast. Mr.. Smith was presi-
dent of the committee in Honolulu
that gave the troops OF the first Phil
ippine expedition, including the Sec
ond Oregon, the finest reception ever
rendered soldiers of a foreign nation,
and seldom equaled by the patriotic eff
forts of people in receiving their own
soldier boys.
What this means is best understood
by the members of the Second Oregon,
who were made especial objects OF at
tention in beautiful Honolulu. There
cannot be found a man OF the regi-
ment who will say word against Ha-
wall or any of her people. The boys
of the Second Oregon left the Para
disc OF the Pacific with an affection for
everything in Honolulu that was not
weakened by a year. in the tropics.
That was one of the brightest spots of
their term of enlistment, and. coming
after a dreary week on the transports.
when the comforts of home were first
missed, and in their stead were the ag-
gravated conditions of the early en-
perimental work of moving troops
! across the ocean, Honolulu's hospital
ity was God-send. While the city
did not, officially. bestow upon the Sec
ond Oregon favors greater than to
other commands. the citizens individ-
| ually showed their kindly interest in
the boys from the Webfoot State to
such an extent that il was generally
commented upon.
Mr.. Smith, being one of the most
prominent business men OF Hawaii. Is
in position to give excellent Informal
| ton on the effects of annexation in the
| Islands. He states positively that
| there has been a marked Improvement
| in business since the stability insured
by the American flag has made itself
! felt. Capital in larger quantities than
ever before has come in and is finding
permanent investment. Two new SUI
gar plantations are being started on
Maui Island, one on Oahu and a very
| large one on Hawaii. Honolulu CAPT
tai has acquired control of the great
! Spreckelsville plantation. which was
| the property of the Spreckels family
| Mr.. Smith states that there is vet n lit
| tie handicap by the knowledge that the
| form of government for the Islands Is
yet to be established, but the security
resulting from American control, with
its absence OF intermittent revolutions
and uprisings, is of the greatest inn
portance.
Of the Galician labon cases. which
| Mr.. Spreckels, paper in San Francisco
found so much akin To slavery. Mr.
Smith says the affair is not now de
serving OF more than passing notice
There are no slavery laws in Hawaii
and the labor contract penal law. ur
der which these thirty men were pros
ecuted, and which was. moreover.
product of the old regime. is now II
practice annulled. These thirty Cali
. clan laborers were of a lot numberin,
300 imported for some of the planta
tons. Money was advanced to them
like IL Is TO sailors entering into a con
tract for a voyage. These thirty foun,
where they could get higher wages ii
| Hawaii and broke their contract with
. out attempting 10 recompense thei
: employers for the $4,000 disbursed Il
getting them TO the Islands. The
were confined under the law. for
short time, when their own employer
said let them go, as they would rattle
do so than bother with them. This pre-
cedent is recognized as destroying tn
effect of the penal law, and no one nov
appeals TO it. The condition OF the Ga
licians, says Mr.. Smith. approache
very near that of sailors in America
Mr.. Smith is intensely patriotic. al
though he has been residing outsid
the land of his birth twenty year:
They tell me that the United State
cannot govern all these Islands,"
said. Il say the United States - ca
govern anything" These positive con
victions are based upon long study c
the new dependencies OF the nation. a
we'll as scrutiny of the nation itse
from a distance. That Mr.. Smith
not simply furthering his immediat
personal ends in advocating expansio
is evident from the fact that he favor
holding the Philippines as ardently q
he does holding the Hawaiian Island
Portland Oregonian