The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-09-09

(ContInued dom page onel

Continued from page one.)
the dredging work already done by the |
territory, illustrated by maps which |
were accepted as testimony. Estimates |
for dredging as asked for in 1901 were |
shown to aggregate 5000 600 since when !
the territory had actually paid out SOL |
05S in said dredging, stopping only for
lack Of funds. Many questions as to
depth of water, changes of lighthouses
dimensions of channels, harbor bottom,
buoys and the claims or ownership of
riparian land possessors on the harbor
front, were asked by the commission
and answered by the Secretary. The
phannel through the reef to Kalihi har-
Dor and the dredging of the same was
emphasized by Mr.. Cooper as wise and
practical. The contract and agree
| ments concerning Sumner or Quaran-
tine Island were entered into but Sc
cretary Cooper was unable to enlighten
the commission as to the terms of
agreements except in a general way
The maintenance of buoys was also
brought forward as an unjustifiable To-
cal expense.
The Hilo breakwater at a cost of
100000 brought out a question from
| Senator Burton when Secretary Cooper
! proclaimed the roadstead unsafe in
]
! the secretary was aware that the find
ing of the naval board differed from his
and answered with a personal expert
ence of his own when the survey ship
Pathfinder was at Hilo and many ships
were compelled to run to the open seas,
while several steamers kept their
/ screws going to save their cables and a
! ship lying at the wharf was towed to a
! safer mooring by two steamers.
] h1 Of 70,
property on the lot bounded by Mer-
chant King and Alakea, was next
mooted the Secretary explaining that
no public lands were available in Ho-
nolulu, but were in Hilo, where a new
post office and customs house were
asked for separate buildings being
needed on account of the conhguration
Of the land and the position of the
| town necessitatin~ the customs house
| being built on the Waiakea and the
post office on the opposite or town side
of the harbor.
The labor question was then taken
up at some length. Secretary Cooper
! explained the former system under
which limited numbers of Chinese were
allowed to land as unskilled laborers
for limited time, the plantations set
ting aside their passage money with
| the Treasury. These, with Japanese,
|
days of 1890 and 1901 when affairs were
prosperous and trade with the United
States for machinery, food and cloth
ing amounted to twenty millions annu-
! ally, reduced now by increased labor
| prices, Submitted to the commission
| fifty or sixty per cent. Skilled labor
had also left through this depression,
not through Oriental interference, in
stanced by the reductions of hands at
| the Honolulu Iron Works.
BY request of Governor Dole the
question of the practical destruction of
the rice industry from high priced labor
and the importation of Japanese rice,
| was included and the point shown that
J the Chinese invariably left after seCur-
! ing certain sums. Hawaiians We're de-
picted as skilled laborers only and not
available for agricultural labor.
Being questioned by Chairman Nit
chell, Mr.. Cooper stated that he knew
of no instances of watering stock in
Iplanta tion--shares, that the dividends
were a fair profit on the capital invest
ed, and that when paid amounts were
also paid out from surplus profits into
| improvements. That now many divi-
dends had ceased and others were
! greatly reduced. He asked for the old
conditions of importing a limited num-
Der of Chinese for a limited term of
years and Senator Burton, summing
| up, asked the direct question
Under the old conditions you could
meet any competition, even Cuban,
with tariff reductions; but with the
cheap labor door closed in Hawaii and
open in Cuba, with reciprocity, you
would meet a danger almost amounting
to a prohibition of your product?" 1T
appears to me that way" replied the
Secretary. Governor Dole, on appeal,
substantiated the remarks made by
Mr.. Cooper.
The leper question was referred to as
one on which deep sentiment was felt
and which should be COPIED WITH as it
always had been, by local control and
not opened to the stigma Of foreign
lepers being introduced through Fed
eral aid being established. The num-
Der of lepers and cost OF maintenance
was quoted. Governor Dole offered the
use of the Legislative hall with it's pro-
pinquity to records and the greater ac-
commodatiOns. The commission will
| consider the matter.
The Portuguese will submit a letter
! concerning PunChbowl early this after
noon. The Republican committee paid
their respects. S. NJ Damon was grant
| ed an Interview on the currency ques-
| ton for o'clock sharp, to be follow