Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-12-14
ALL RED EXPOSURE
JOHN D. SPRECKELS ON
new ZEALAND OPPOSITION
He Shows How Far The Patriotism
Of the Union Steamship
Company Would
Go.

The following article is from the
New Zealand Herald, Auckland of No
vember 49,
Although J. ID. Spreckels, the chair.
man Of the Oceanic Company. has not
yet. as far as we know. accepted the
paltry offer of the Government for a
three-weekly fast mail service for
postage rates to the amount of e15.OOO
per annum, II Is understood that he is
sending forward some important COM
munications by the mail steamer Ven
tura. which should reach Auckland on
Monday. December 2.
We have received the following let
ter from Mr.. Spreckels. in which he
strongly resents the abuse which his
company has been subjected to in the
South of New Zealand, but at the time
Of writing the letter he had evidently
not seen the Parliamentary debates.
San Francisco. October 22.- SIR
The Union Steamship Company in
fluences have succeeded in working up
a very strong sentiment against my
company, and, as far as my company
itself Is concerned. unjustly; but they
have mixed us up with the United
States laws In such way that a large
portion Of your public hold us RESPONSE
bic for the shutting out Of a steamer
carrying the English flag between Ho-
nolulu and the United States.
Now, a point which you Will see the
significance OF in connection with this
matter is as follows:
. When the Union Steamship Company
early in 1898 realized that there was
danger Of the Hawaiian Islands being
put under the American flag they were
very anxious to have an American
register granted to the steamer Moana
SO that they could continue in the
trade. They were willing to sacrifice
her nationality and flag for the pur.
pose OF taking advantage OF the navi.
CATION laws which they now pretend
to look upon with so much adherence!
However, 1t was impossible for the
Moana under our laws to receive an
American register. They. then sug.
gested that they should build boat in
the United States which they could run
with our new ones. I explained tina,
our laws prohibited the registering OF
ships owned by non-citizens. and that
although the vessel might be register.
ed In our name we would not be able
to take the oath of ownership which
would entitle her to the flag and the
benefit of the subsidies.
So you can see how willing the Union
steamship Company was to waive the
AL red" sentiment, provided there
was an advantage in doing so for them.
selves. Now they are waving the fiap
before the public that they were will.
Ing to haul down from their steamer
} II they could have the American fiap
substituted, and, judging from the
tenor OF the abuse which we are re.
ceiving, 1t largely comes from the pa.
triotic sentiment Of your citizens, who
have been worked up to a pitch OF ex.
citement over the fact that one Ameri.
can ship has displaced one British ship
! think that the abuse which my
company has been subjected to has
been not only undeserved but unjust
and should be checked II possible
Yours. etc. J. d. Spreckels.
II will be remembered that for some
time before the subject OF the Sar
Francisco mail was dealt with in the
House of Representatives the chief ar.
gument used in the South against the
service was that, Notwithstanding the
subsidy Of G52,0OO per annum given
by the United States Government, II
should not be In any way encouraged
by New Zealand because there was moi
In the trade vessel registered in the
colony. 1t was contended that VIC
should abandon the San Francisco line
although 1t was the shortest, and sub.
sidize longer service. because It was
"all red" During the discussion In