The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-02

francisco have come to the aid of Ha-
wall in a most generous and hearty
way. As one of the first results of j.
G. Pratt's mission to secure congress-
iOnal action to pay the fire claim
awards the San Francisco Chamber of
Commerce, the Manufacturers and
Producers Association of California
and the San Francisco Board of Trade
have united in endorsing Hawaiis pc
tition to Congress, and in urging the
California delegation in Congress to
work for the relief asked.
The following sets forth the action
taken by these San Francisco CONNER
cial bodies. 1t includes the petition to
Congress adopted by the Honolulu
Chamber of Commerce and Merchants
Association when sending Mr.. Pratt to
Washington, which has never been
made public before; Mr.. Pratt's COM
munication to the San Francisco or
ganizations, and the memorial to Con-
gress adopted by them. Copies of all
these were sent by the San Francisco
organizations to every member of the
California delegation.
These memorials make public for the
first time the approximate amount of
the aggregate of the awards which will
be made by the Fire Claims Commits
sion. This aggregate is placed at
about $2,000,00O. The amount appro-
priated by the legislature was $1,50O,-
600, the payment of which is extended
over three years.
The memorial of the San Francisco
commercial organizations is as follows,
copies having been sent to the secre-
taries of the Chamber of Commerce
and the Merchants Association of Ho-
nolulu by Charles e. Bancroft Secre-
tary of the Manufacturers and Proc
ducers' Association of California.
San Francisco, Cal, April II, 1902
To the Senators and Representatives
in Congress from California.
We beg to call your attention to the
attached copy of resolutions adopted
by the Chamber of Commerce and by
the Merchants Association of Honolu-
lu and to the attached statement of
Mr.. j. G.. Pratt, a member of the Fire
Claims Commission of Hawaii, and the
representative of the organizations
above referred to, in relation to the
claims upon the Territory of Hawaii
for losses and destruction of property
resulting by reason of the acts of the
Board of Health of Honolulu in the
suppression of the bubOnic plague in
Honolulu in December, 1899, and in the
year 1900
The circumstances associated with
the occurrence in question and the re-
sultant to it would seem to appeal with
peculiar force at this time to the con-
sideration of the Federal Government
| and to the sympathy of all the people
OF our country and are such as to con-
strain us to present to you and
through you to the Congress of the
United States this first appeal of the
Territory of Hawaii for assistance tc
which it seems to be reasonably en-
titled.
Proceeding under the Newlands Res
olution, Hawaii was, at the time of the
| plague epidemic, under the control OF
| the United States, having surrendered
| it's sovereign powers and having in
view, during the interim to terminate
| in annexation, no more than sufficient
| revenue from all sources to meet the
| ordinary needs of Government, wheT
! the existing authorities found them
! selves confronted by an emergency i'm
perilling the business interests and the
general well being, not alone of tn,
Hawaiian Islands, but of the United
| States of which they were soon anC
freely to become a permanent position
! Instant action and effective measures
were demanded. Without these a grea
calamity, including many millions o
/ uOlldl . VI lOSS III tA AlcloGS anu ~ buSl
ness interests would be visited upor
! the Hawaiian Islands, and, presuma
bly,, upon the United States.
AS result of the said epidemic anJ
of the measures employed to suppress
it, as shown by the papers referred t.
and as will be further shown by tn,
| accredited representative of said bust
| ness organizations of Honolulu, tn
| Territory of Hawaii has become liabl
for the payment of claims for destruc
ton of property aggTegating abou
! S2,000000 in addition to having eXpend
ed from its Treasury the sum of $SO7,
0O8.66 solely for the maintenance AM
care Of those rendered destitute by en-
forced idleness caused by quarantine
| regulations and by the burning o
property and for similar emergenc,
| measures.
Being deprived Of the Customs an,
| Postal revenues amounting to severa
million dollars annually, which now g
into the Treasury of the United State
and which, but for annexation, wOul,
have been available for the payment o
said claims. the Territorial revenue
are now wholly inadequate to NEE
this unforeseen burden.
Therefore, inasmuch as annexation
was accomplished during the period o
the occurrence of the plague, the prin
cipal revenues of the Hawaiian Island
being lost thereby, which would other
wise be available for the payment o
said claims, and inasmuch as since an
nexation and the said stoppage of rev
| enue and the quarantine regulation
are. under Federal control and all cos
of the operation thereof is borne by tn
t!ons passed by said organizations AM