The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-16
HAWAII. IN CONGRESS.


The need of an efficient congressman,
one with a working, and. if possible,
a majority party behind him, is felt
here in many ways. Hawaii wants
public works and has as much right to
ask for them as any other territory
Ours. for instance, is the only Amer
lean coast without federal lighthouses,
even Alaska being to some extent sup
piled; but we are not likely to get them
unless the matter is put in the hands
of delegate who can rally votes for
his measures. Pearl Harbor should be
turned into a mid-Pacific Malta; but
Congress, unless persistently urged,
will take its time about furnishing the
means. A revenue cutter should be
maintained here, the harbor of Homo
lulu should be made more spacious, and
the roadstead of Hilo equipped with
breakwater FortiKcations for Homo
lulu are as desirable. as for any other
American port of like Importance. But
all, or any, of these things are not to
be had for the wishing. The congress
MIXED, especially to a man who is ca
vorting alone in the middle of a ten
acre lot; she must be roped and stalled
for the purpose by man who, if he
doesn't know how himself, can get
those who do know how to help him.
Anyone who stops to think ought to
see that nothing in the way of public
improvements can be expected through
Wilcox, who, even in his second term.
was unable to pass a single bill, or get
for Hawaii single penny out of the
billion dollars that Congress disbursed.
It is not easy for any delegate, who has
no vote to do favors with, to secure
appropriations for his district, but the
task is infinitely harder where the ap-
represented on the floor. Wilcox cannot
ask Republicans to help him, because
he does not train with that party; nor
are Democrats going to aid a man who
running on platform which indorses
the Republican executive. Robinson
Crusoe was not more alone on the
island near the Orinoco than is Wilcox
in the house, and the difference is in
favor of Crusoe, who was at least
monarch of all he surveyed. Should the
present delegate get a third term, we
venture nothing by the prediction that
the end of it will see his record as re-
sultless, in everything but salary for.
himself, as it now is. How can the out
look be otherwise? Minus party,
friends, avoided by the President, with
out capacity even to draw or present
bill intelligently, Wilcox must, if he re-
turns TO Congress- be mere lay figure.
there, a nonentity, a failure. Can Ha-
wall, needing so much of Congress, af-
ford to perpetuate a nonentity in her
Congressional seat?
The election of the Prince ought, even
in his first term, to bring substantial
results Unlike Wilcox, Kuhio is a
broadly intelligent mana man of in
itiative and working capacity-who
gains respect and assistance by dint of
his deserts. He already has the prom
Use, if he goes to Congress- of the aid
and favor of eminent Republican leg
islators. When he Introduces bill it
will, if a good one, be carried on by the
strong tide of party legislation. If it
meets a snag or an eddy, willing hands
will be reached out to extricate it and
Z send it on its way. The Prince is al
ways popular wherever he goes. He
would soon be on good terms with his
fellow congressman, the heads of de-
partments, and the President himself.
The great leverage of social prominence
and opportunity would be his-a help of
which Wilcox could never avail him
self. And behind him at all times
would be the growing social prestige
at Washington of his aunt, the former
Queen.
Such man as Prince Kuhio not only
deserves election on his own account
but he would be a sound investment for
Hawaii and especially for his compa-
triots. the native people. In public
works, as the natives well know, is the
best opportunity for@the wage-earner
Hundreds of Hawaiian laborers have
good jobs from the territory; they are
for example, building or mending roads
on every island of the group; but il
Notifications. lighthouses, and harbol
improvements were made, five mer
would go on the federal payroll where
there is one on the territorial wage
list. A Hawaiian vote for the Prince
is, therefore, a vote to give the Hawaii
an laborer plenty of work at good pay