The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-30
w, D, SMITH
RETURNS
His NarrowEscape
From Railway
Wreck.
INTERVIEW WITH
THE PRESIDENT
Mr. Roosevelt Knows Island Poll
tics and Stands for Good
Government in Hawaii.

Hon. w. o. Smith returned yester-
day in the Alameda from visit to Bos-
ton, New York, washington and Chi
cago. and on his return to the Pacific
Coast narrowly escaped death in a train
wreck. He intended going over the
Santa Fe railway to Los Angeles but
in endeavoring to get his ticket chang
ed from the Northwestern to the south
ern line, he found it could not be done
This train crashed into another pas
senger train at Franconia, Arizona, and
scene of horror followed. Many were
killed and scalded to death. although
the passengers in the Pullman car,
were only badly shaken up, but their
lives were in jeopardy for some time
after the accident.
With reference to his visit to Wash
ington and interview with President
Roosevelt in company with ]. B. Ather-
ton and F. NJ. Swanzy of Honolulu, and
r. P Rithet of San Francisco, Mr..
Smith said last evening:
president Roosevelt was extremely
affable and came from his inner room
to meet us. He talked earnestly of Ha-
waiian affairs and expressed a great
deal of interest in local politics. His
knowledge of our politics was full and
accurate. He asked some questions
about the population and labor situa-
E In nf
and the United States touching the
tariff, and while 1 would not attempt
to quote what he said my impression is
that he believed the Chinese Exclusion
act would be re-enacted, and that some
concessions would have to be made to
Cuba or something done for that ISL
and so far as the sugar tariff is con-
cerned.
Mr.. Roosevelt spoke to US In the
clear, forceful and direct way so char
acteristic of him. He showed a great
deal of interest in the prosperity of
Hawaii.
He spoke Of his earnest desire and
determination that only upright men
should be appointed to office here.
1.-The President asked about the diff
ferent kinds of laborers we had, and in
relating to the introduction of Porto
Ricans He wanted to know if more
Portuguese Iaborers could not be pro-
cured from the Madeira Islands, init
mating that they were valuable labor
ers.
Mr. Hitchcock, Secretary of the In
terror, spoke very earnestly about the
Islands in my conversation with him.
He talked freely about our affairs. and
evidently was very we'll informed about
matters here. Secretary Cooper. in his
recent visit, evidently gave a great deal
of information about the Islands. which
has been valuable to the Interior De-
partment. He expressed a desire to do
everything he could for the benefit and
prosperity of Hawaii. He made some |
inquiries in regard to water rights and |
utilizing water on public lands. Our |
call upon Secretary Gage was brief as
he had just returned from a journey /
and was quite tired.
'As to the Mackay cable, the dis |
patches of course tell that the contract
had been let for laying it to the Ha-
waiian Islands and that it would be |
here within the next year, and possibly |
by September. l did not hear whether |
an inter-island cable system would also |
be Installed.
mere IS q very Strong IeellHE on the /
Pacific Coast in favor of the re-enact- !
ment of the Geary Exclusion Act, while |
at the same time with many people |
there. there is a great deal Of oppost- |
ton to the re-enactment- In the East
there is a very strong sentiment against
its re-enactment. My impression is that
there will be important notifications of
the original law.
There are a great many exaggerated
reports on the mainland of the political
situation here. From reports that have
been current, Governor Dole is always
about TO resign and he is likely to drop
off suddenly or something of that sort.
However, at Washington these reports
do not cause any comment. They know
about our affairs in detail.
Among those who will return on the
China will be about dozen of the Ha-
waiian singing boys from the Buffalo
exposition. Also Paul Isenberg, Frank
Baldwin and wife, Mrs. Cunha and
family. The singing boys I saw at the
Occidental Hotel where Mrs. James
Campbell gave an entertainment"
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