The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-13

sion of Congress than at the long session
The short session comes after election
and statesmen are, less sensitive about
criticism at home over their votes for
the expenditure Of government funds.
HOLDING Up THE GOVERNMENT
Capt, Hutchins thinks something
should have reached here by this time
about sites for lighthouse stations in
the Hawaiian islands bnt he fears the
people who own land, suitable for sites.
have been putting obstacles in the way
OF the government we cannot build.
except on land absolutely owned by the
| United States Government" said he.
THAT IS an established rule, from
which there can be no departure. We
have a good naval officer in charge of
| the lighthouses out there and a splendid
army engineer, who would help the
construction work along to the utmost
but thar work is for the benefit of the
island and the board will be guided
by the attitude OF the people towards
such Improvements. They must help
us all they can, if they want the work
pushed
Requests have been received from the
Wilder Steamship Company thar the
government take over certain private
buoys. Il is the established rule of the
government not to take over private
buoys and the request has accordingly
been denied.
INDIFFERENCE OF CONGRESS.
The indifference of Congress to appro-
priating money for any of the islands,
whether it be Hawaii. Porto Rico, or
the Philippines can we'll be borne in
mind by substantial people OF Hawaii
who are lootlin forward to appropria-
tions next winter for important works
In the last eight or ten months good
deal OF excellent information has been
disseminated here among influential pub
lie men about the needs of the islands
in the Mid Pacifc-about the need of
new postoffice, the need of improve
ments to harbors at Honolulu and Hilo
and the like. Mr. w. O. Smith, Dele
gate Kalanianaole, Mr.. G. B. Mcclellan,
and others who came here during the
winter, talked Hawaii to influential
Congressman and forcefully supplement-
ed the representations which Mr.. Viii
liam Haywood has been making con-
stantly ever since he came back from
Honolulu to reside in Washington
Chairman Burton, of the River and Har-
Dor Committee of the House. is known
to be favorably disposed to improve
ments to harbors in Hawaii and an inn
I portant step towards a new postofice
has been taken by the selection of a
site in Honolulu. That commits the
government to the project
HARD WORK NEEDED.
And yet the hardest kind of work
will be imperative as soon as the next
session of Congress convenes to assure
good results. There will undoubtedly be
river and harbor appropriation bill,
but the pressure for appropriations will
be very great from many sessions. AS a
deficit is already looming up in the
Treasury and viii probably be much
larger by December, arguments to keep
appropriations down to the lowest pos
sible figure may be expected. Which
ever way the November elections go,
La
notes about economy when Senators and
Representatives begin to come back to
Washington The House River and Har
Dor Committee will be forced to elimiu-
ate the less pressing projects" and
however earnestly Chairman Burton
may try to deal fairly with the insular
possessions, they will suffer most from
the application OF the pruning knife.
Business interests of Hawaii cannot do
too much, when Congress has assembled,
to impress upon both houses by petitions
and otherwise the Importance Of harbor
appropriations. Delegate Kalanlanaole
and Mr.. Charles Clark, as has been
stated in these letters, did much in care
fully prepared statements mailed to
every Senator and member to show what
the needs of the harbors at Hilo and
Honolulu are. But there will be room
for iteration and reiteration. backed up
by shipping and commercial interests.
Members OF both houses of Congress
forget quickly nearly everything that
does not pertain to their own states or
districts.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
AS much is true about the efforts that
will be necessary to secure a new post
Office building. The House Committee
ON public buildings and grounds will I'M