The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-07-18
must WORK
FOR HAWAII
Howto Get Money
For Pearl
Harbor.
p. R. Helm Talks of Need
of Arousing Public
Sentiment.
Sees Necessity for Fortifications in
Honolulu and Points Out
Way to Get Them.

Now that Congress is to meet il
October Hawaii should begin to bestil
itself if there is anything to be accom-.
plished at the extra session for the ISL
ands.' said P. r. Helm, secretary of the
Merchants Association yesterday.
Hawaii wants lots of things. every
one will admit that The question is,
how to get them. They won't come to
us if we sit still and wait.
What we want most is an appro-
priation for the Improvement of Pearl
Harbor and every channel should be
utilized for bringing this properly be-
fore Congress. The Army and Navy
expects and have plans already made
for work on the army and naval posts
in Hawaii and Congress has been ask
pose. But it is public sentiment that
counts Congress won't act of it's own
initiative so much as it depends upon
public sentiment. This is a particularly
opportune time for an agitation of this
kind-the war cloud in the Orient, and
while it is not expected that America
will have a hand in it, yet there is no
telling when war will break out and
America has extensive interests in that
part of the country which must be
protected at all hazards. There is no
question whatever. but that this is the
most important strategic point in the
Pacific, and this must be brought home
TO those on the Pacific Coast and they
must be made to realize the necessity
for the Improvement of Pearl Harbor
and why strong military base should
be established in Honolulu.
1.-The best way to bring this about,
in my opinion, is to have the CONNER
ciai organizations appoint good strong
committees to carefully outline the diff
ferent points why it would benefit the
Pacific Coast states and the whole
American people, to have this port
be drafted to be sent to the CONNER
cial organizations on the Pacific Coast
and in the eastern states, and also to
draft resolutions to send to the proper
sary these resolutions should be fol-
lowed up from time to time with let
tiers and other petitions.
Just at present the interest of the
world is centered in the Orient-there
is no question but what America is
looking on the Pacific more now, than
at any time in the past. 1t is just the
time for agitation of this matter, and
in any event Hawaii will receive a
great deal of publicity and will be
brought before the commercial organ
izations of the United States. There is
no question in my mind that if the
matter is properly brought before them
it will result in making a good many
friends for US who may do us some
SOOd. Al lhS SCtlllS liIiiS II SIlouIu DS
taken up with the different Congress
men, and Delegate Kuhio should be
asked to push the matter.
Nearly every state in the union is
in the islands and if these
people would organize, and in turn petit
ton the congressman in their former
homes it would help a great deal. Now
that an extra session of Congress has
been called it is most important that
We should get to work Immediately.
We are fortunate in having both the
Navy and War Departments with us,
which is not always the case in other
places. 1 remember when Port Orchard
Try dock was established on the Sound,
he government had heard nothing of
he place. The citizens agitated the
hing so long and persistently that
sentiment in favor Of it was created,
,nding with the sending of commissions
which finally decided to locate the dry
locks where wanted. There is a strong
sentiment already that Hawaii should
oe strongly fortified and with proper
,ffort an appropriation of ten million
lollars can be secured to make the nee
ssary extensive improvements"