The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-26
HAWAII AT
THE CAPITAL
Continued from Page Ii

/ 4
divided into twenty-acre homesteads.
and the pastoral lands into eighty-acre
homesteads. either OF which would give
I the American farmer a fine homestead 20
support his family all the year round
To give an idea how fertile the land
IA. the sugar corporations produce av-
erage OF ten tons OF sugar TO the acre.
The rice planters produce two crops a
year. aggregating between 500 and GOO
pounds TO the acre. The same land
planted TO taro. plant akin to elephant
ears. which Is the staple food of the na-
tives. will produce somewhere between
t0.o00 and 5000 pounds per acre. and IL
sells At one cent n pound.
~ present the living IL costly because
we have no farmers. All OF the subsis-
tence. such a. fruit and vegetables. comes
| from California They could be raised in
| Hawaii. and We have both the climate and
the elevation.
CUBAN RECIPROCITY.
one II hearing almost nothing nova
days about the Cuban reciprocity bill.
IL seems to be taken for granted that
the Senate Is going To do something
and. II IL does not during the present
session. President Roosevelt not long
Il ago made Ia known that he would inn
mediately call an extra session OF Con-
Gress. There Is little doubt he will
carry out his word. Probably no poll
1
1 a week yet. as the Philippine Islands
bill H. still occupying attention there.
what the outcome Will be In the House
and whether the independent Republi-
cans and the Democrats will stand to-
gether To- keep OF the differentiaI on
refined sugar Is stiii very much OF a
problem. Many think the Republicans
VIII yield or that the Democrats will
be forced into voting for the Senate /
bill In it's entirety. which Will prob /
ably retain the differential. II the Joint /
forces had not stood so firmly In the
House originally beyond what anybody
dreamed could be done till within TWEEN
ty-four hours OF the time for voting
one would now expect "A compromise.
IL will probably require two or three
weeks yet To tell what Is going 10
happen.
The lateness OF the session and the
fact that most Of the appropriation
bills are passed and out OF the way.
make the chances OF canal legislation
In the Senate very slim. After the
Philippines bill Is out OF the way the
Cuban reciprocity bill Will be brought
to the front and IL will be we'll into
the middle Of June before both those
problems are adjusted and the Presi- !
dents signature attached. II may even {
be July l and by that time there will
he little disposition To enter on a long
canal debate.
MEMORIAL FROM HILo.
memorial OF the citizens OF Hilo.
Hawaii. praying for the construction ,
OF n breakwater in Hilo Bay. has been !
printed by the Senate and referred TO ,
the committee on Pacific Islands and ,
Porto Rico. IL Is signed by +. Il. Nc /
Stocker John +. Moir. G. G. Kennedy
and +. Peck as a committee. Nothing
was done for Hawaii on the rivers and ,
harbors bill. as no one pressed for river ,
and harbor improvements. Following
II the memorial:
To the Honorable the Senate and House
OF Representatives OF the United
States:
Your memoriaiists. the undersigned
appointed at n meeting held
April Z. 1870. at Hilo. island and Territory
Of Hawaii. beg To respectfully represent I
The island OF Hawaii. popularity called
the big island IL the largest island OF
the Hawaiian group. IL has an area OF
tsi0 square miles and contains about zoos
30 acres. As Throughout the rest 81 the
sugar growing Is the chief {
industry. although coffee. rice and fruits j,
are grown To- a limited extent The island
u Hawaii contains - sugar plantations.
with a yield last year OF n per cent OF &
the entire Hawaiian crop. ,
The largest city and principal port oi a.
Hawaii ~ the port OF Hilo. situated on
fIiio Bay. ON the windward side OF the
siand. With the exception OF Pearl Har- !
bOr. the bay OF Hilo affords the largest L
natural harbor In the Hawaiian Islands. l
having an area OF 300 acres and an avail [
able frontage for wharfage purposes OF b
100 feet. or nearly a mile and a half IN 4
'Xtcnt. 4
Owing To the peculiar formation Of the
1ay. with a submerged coral reef extend
ng mile across the opening. the harbor
furnishes a natural haven for storm o
pound vessels. Unfortunately. however.
me high winds sweeping over the reeT 4
break the sea into heavy swels. which
n rough weather transforms an otherwise
aim harbor into heavy and tempestu-
rus basin.
What Is demanded Is a brcakwater ex-
lending out across the harbors mouth
along the reef for threc-quarters Of
nile or more. thereby stopping the heavy i
low OF the sea and protecting from dam
'ge the shipping and wharfage property
n the harbor.
Aside from n small wharf for the use OF
he iiger-ssiand steamers and an abandon
u government wharf. the port OF Hiio /
: without docking facilities. except OF the i
most primitive character. and heavy-draft
'esscls are required To anchor in deep wa
cr in the bay and handle every ton of
reight loaded or discharged by means of
lighters" between the ship and the |
horc- Until the bay can be properly pro- /
ccted b. breakwater IL Is almost use
ess TO attempt To construct a permanent i
Her or dock FOR deep-draft vessels. The
lilo Dock Company. which has been or
anizsd. are ready and waiting To bald n
ouhie-pi wharf 100 by 800 feet. but hes l
tate t0 enter upon their undertaking in
he present dangerous condition OF the | !
arbor- one month ago this island and
OFT was storm-swept. the gale continu-
* for nearly three weeks with more or Il
- violence. during which time the work
Z loading Or discharging vessels in the
ay was abandoned. and several Of the
iter-island steamers could not get near
nough TO shore TO handle freight.
The number Of vessels discharging and
fading import and export freight be- Il
Seen this port and the United States ~ Il
TO 100 per annum. agEreEating some II
600 tons. upon which there is n lighter /
81 charge OF 80 cents per ton In the bay /
Hilo. under existing conditions.
The town OF Hiio is n progressive city /
ith population OF 1900. and within a
hort time promises TO become a rival in