The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-10
A VISITING
STATESMAN
Congressman E. ].
Hills Entertain
ing Talk.
WILCOX'S SMALL
INFLUENCE
When the Members of Congress
Wanted to Know About Hawaii
They Went to Haywood.

Congressman E. J. Hill of the
Fourth District of Connecticut. and
a Republican, is visitor in the
City, arriving yesterday on the
transport Buford. He is the guest of
L. A. Thurston and will visit the usu-
al points of interest during the brief
stay of the vessel in Honolulu. Con-
gresham Hill is on his way around the
is trying to see the outlying countries
which the United States is taking in so
fast"
From Honolulu his vessel goes to
Guam and thence to Manila, where Mr..
Hill hopes to make a stay of at least
two weeks, and at the most four weeks,
He has no mission as Congressman,
but is merely on a trip of education and
pleasure. He will make study of con-
ditions in the Philippines as far as pos
sible, and as yet has no opinion to ex-
press concerning the future of the arch
ipelago. From Manila he goes to
Hongkong, thence to Canton and
Shanghai and afterwards will spend
many weeks in Japan He will next
visit Vladivostok, and make a voyage
of $500 miles on the Amur river. He
will then go by rail to ST. Petersburg
and by easy stages return to his home
in Connecticut, where in private life
he is a banker, and is the vice presi-
| NJ IL
Conn.
Mr.. Hill is a member of the House
Committee on Banking and Currency,
and the Committee on Coinage,
Weights and Measures and as such has
had much to do with the affairs of Ha-
waii in a financial way In an inter-
view accorded an Advertiser reporter
yesterday evening, Congressman Hill
said with reference to the Hawaiian re-
Edemption bill which failed of passage
during the last session of Congress-:
Yes, did have something to do with
the redemption bill The bill original
Iy came before the committee two
years ago upon the return of the Ha-
waiian Commission from the Islands.
No action was taken at that time, in
asmuch as it seemed to involve the
the silver question. In the first ses
sion of the Fifty-sixth Congress the bill
went to the Committee on Territories.
The committee reported favorably on
the measure, but it was perhaps lit
tie unfortunate that the bill should
have contained clause which made it
rather embarrassing under the circum-
stances in view of the political issues
in, Io tot This ri c
to the effect that when the coinage of
Hawaii was taken up by the United
Estates it should be re-coined into pieces
of the same denomination. That would
iof course have the effect of making us
coin about half a million legal tender
silver dollars, and we certainly have
these to burn at the present time. There
was a good deal OF objection to the
bill on that account. There would not
have been the slightest objection to it
had the matter of coinage and RECON-
| ing been left to the discretion of the
Secretary of the Treasury, the same as
with the Porto Rico coins. There was
not the slightest objection to taking
the coins at par and substituting for
see that it makes any difference to the
are taken up and disposed of.
There is no question in my mind but
that the bill will pass at the next ses-
sion of Congress in December. 1t is
simply an objection to that clause in
the bill on the silver issues, but which
has no interest whatever to the Ha-
waiian Government
Did Wilcox's break have anything to
with no hEin ha1
asked of the Congressman.
NO; I don't believe it did The
Democrats raised the objection to the
consideration of the bill The Demo-
cratic members of the Committee on
Coinage made this objection. I was not
present at the time, being busy with
| the Committee on Banking, and did
not hear of it until quarters of
an hour afterwards. The objection was
that it would make an excess of silver
coins. When the Committee on Terri
tories found this objection to exist, the
Republicans passed through the Com
mittee on Territories an amendment
covering that particular point and pro-
viding that the bullion should be held
in the discretion of the Secretary of the
Treasury; then the Democrats object
leu 10 II coming up III lnat way. In UHe
j, rush and hurry of the last two or three
weeks it was finally not brought up.
In my judgment there is no question
but what the Hawaiian coinage will be
taken up as bullion to be disposed of
at the discretion of the Secretary of
the Treasury"
What are the chances for a Pacific
Icable?" was asked.
II think the chances are good. and
the cable will be owned by the Gov
Iernment rather than by subsidized
company. That is my judgment. l don't
think there is any question about it.
AT the next session 1 think that bill
will be passed to that effect. There is
a strong sentiment in Congress against
any substituting of companies"
| What are the chances in the next
congress in regard to the Nicaragua
IcanaI?"
| well. every vote SO far taken shows