The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-05
NAVY DEPARTMENT
MAY CONSTRUCT IT
Michigan Representative Address
es House in Favor of lmme-
date Construction.
Especial Correspondence

WASHINGTON, d. c., FEB. HI ne
next move in the matter of the Hawaii
an cable. as outlined, is the placing en
the sundry civil appropriation bill OF an
amount sufficient to inaugurate the WORK
of the construction of a Pacific cable
This was indicated in the House yeSter-
day when Corliss of Michigan, whose |
bill contemplates the construction of the |
cable by the Navy Department for the
use of the Postoffice Department, made
a speech which is full of interest for the
Hawaiian Islands people. Mr.. Cornss
said in part:
Mr.. Chairman, l asked time during the
general debate in the considerations ot
this measure in order that l might pre-
sent some thoughts not altogether per
tinent to the bill. The approprla lions
made during the present session, lnclud-
ing those in this measure, aggregate,
find, the sum of $685., 00O, 0O0 | nave watch
ed with much interest the large appro-
pr. "a lion measures as they nave peen
presented and considered; but not being
a member of any OF the committees nav
ing charge thereof, with the exception
OF one measure, / have not felt author
lied or sufficiently informed 10 critlcIse
them; and | am not prepared to say that
the appropria lions here made or attempt
ed are not wise. l 90 desire, Mr. Char
man, to say that. in my judgment, some
at least OF the money thal mas been
| appropriated n some of the measures
| mat have been considered might better
! have been applied IN another way Tor
/ the advancement of our country
! | tiud that the app opriauons made Tor
| the Navy amount to Sl6,0O00j0. A large
proportion OF that sum will be expended
| ia the protection of our naval interests
! he fn | T.
| ed IN cur Army bill $l17,000,O coo. A large
proportion of that very large amount VIII
be expended IN protecting the naval ana
| military interests of our country in the
! Pacific Ocean. The object of these large
appropriations is to protect our country
and our flag and maintain the honor and
dignity of our nation.
/ have called attention heretofore, not
only in this Congress but in preceding
Congresses, to the Importance of the
construction by the Government of a
Pacific cable. want to occupy a Few
moments now to present the advantages
to our country if We could but have this
great public work performed. And with
/ out any desire to criticise the chairman
of this great committee, l desire to call
his attention to the fact that he was
the man who year ago on this hoor de-
| feated the measure which was passed by
the Senate that would have given to the
country the construction of Pacific ca
BILE. But for his opposition the people of
this country today would be enjoying
the advantages Of the operation of Pa
cific cable constructed and owned by our
Government for the benefit of our Army
and Navy in the Pacific.
Had that bill been permitted to escape
the objection and the vigorous opposi-
ton of the chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations we would have saved
81, 100000 in cable and other communica-
tons which have been rendered neces-
sary during the interim. If the gentle
man had permitted that measure to pass,
which was introduced as a part of the
sundry civil bill by the Senate at the
last session, our people would have been
able to communicate with their sons in
the Philippine Islands, and the fathers
and mothers in this country would have
been able to rejoice at the advantages
and privileges that they would thereby
have obtained. Our trade and commerce
would have been advanced far more, in
my judgment, than by all the subsidy
bills that you can enact for the benefit
of our merchant marine.
What we want in This country is rapid
communication at reasonable rate; and
want to call the attention of the
House to the fact that since that day
that powerful nation, Great Britain rec
ognizing as she has for years past the
power and influence and advantage OF
X
and has let contract for the construc-
ton of cable across the Pacific con-
meeting her possessions at Vancouver
Island and down through the Pacific
with Australia, passing by Hawaii or
the east, And before we can now con-
st.uct our cable, Mr.. Chairman Grea1
Britain will have a cable connecting hel
islands on the Pacific, while the grea
Government that we stand for is payins
TO monopoly that holds, the cable priv
ileges of the world $225 for every wore
that we communicate to the noble boy:
mat are hghting for our country in tn,
Philippines
How long shall we stand here and per
NIT this great public work to rest, Will,
we go on appi opriating money for ma
Wy to be used in the Pacific? BY build
ing this cable We will add to the powe
OF the Navy at least one-third of its use
fulness. We can better afford to TAX,
SlO,OOO,OoO from the naval bill, from tn,
Army DILL or from any other of thes,
large appropriation bills, and construc
this cable. The President of the United
states has repeatedly asked Congress t,
take action upon this measure. com
mission, having charge of the considera
ton of the matter of the annexation O
HAWAII. urgently recommended to Con
gress the construction Of the cable. Twtc
the Senate of the United States ma
passed a cable measure, and still W.
nave no opportunity to consider 1t here
The President of the United States :,
his message in 1899, said that such com
municatfon should be established in sue
a way as to be wholly under the contra
OF the United States, whether in tim
OF peace or of war. At present tn
Philippines can be reached only by ca
bles which pass through many foreIg
countries, and Hawaii and Guam ca,
only be communicated with by steamers
involving delays in each instance OF "a
= least a week. The present condition
should not be allowed to continue for
moment longer than is absolutely neces
y sary."
'' Now, / speak upon this matter becaus
feel that 1t is one of the greatest pub
: lie improvements that can be made, nC
only for the protection of our Army an
our Navy, but the protection of the trad
and commerce of our country. The pee
pie are interested in this subject an
all over this country, If you have rea
the papers, you have learned of tn