The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-08-25

and child in the Hawaiian Islands every
year. Here in the United States pro-
per the annual cost of government is
$797 per capital, a wonderful showing
in favor of Hawaii"
But what are the Sandwich Islands
crying about Mr.. Carter? Do they not
get all they need in the way of govern
ment tunds?"
mo" replied the young Governor.
1--WE need new harbors and other pub
lie improvements The United States
is now spending something like $66OOO,-
900 on it's harbors, and it is alleged that
millions of that money go into dry
rivers and creeks in the back counties.
However that may he, none OF it comes
to Hawaii, one of the places where 1t Is
most needed We ought to have better
shipping facilities at Honolulu. We
have overtaxed ourselves 70 supply
them, and from the national Govern
ment. We have deepened the harbor
from year to year endeavoring to keep
UP with the great steamers which wish
to enter it. 1t now needs additional
dredging to a depth of about 30 feet
for the great ships which have been re-
Gently built for the transpacific trade
draw go feet of water. They would
come to our islands, but they have to
anchor outside We need also break
water at the port of Hilo, on the Island
of Hawaii, and there are other places
that should be improved
81 doubt IL the people here appre-
ciate the commercial Importance of the
Hawaiian islands," continued Governor
Carter. I'VE already stand eleventh
among our ports as to the tonnage OF
our American shipping, and we are IN
creasing every year. We are at the
crossroads of the Pacific; at the great
station between Australia and New
Zealand and this continent, and be-
tween the United States and Asia.
When the Panama Canal is completed
our Islands will be more important than
ever. and we must have good harbors
to accommodate the trade"
Just how far are you from Panama,
Governor Carter?" I asked.
I'VE are 800 miles from the western
end of the big canal and little more
than, half wav on the route between
that canal and Yokohama, Japan. we
are $500 miles from Auckland, New
Zealand; 5000 miles from Hong-kong
and a little more than 1000 miles from
San Francisco. We are the key to the
Pacific Ocean and ships from all parts
of 1t now call at our ports.
'HThe steamers of the Pacific are
steadily growing in number and size.
The new boats of Jim Hills line are
among the largest of the world, and the
Korea, and Siberia of the Pacific Mall
Company, which now call at Honolulu
on their way from San Francisco, have
each II, 900 tons, and are as fine as any
passenger steamers on the Atlantic
That company VIII soon add two other
steamers equally large. The Korea and
Siberia have a speed of twenty-five
knots and the Korea has gone from Ho-
nOlulu to San Francisco in less than
FIVE days. Those ships bring the SAND
WITCH Islands almost as close to the
United States in point of time as Porto
Rico.
what is the condition of the islands
today, Governor" I asked. Are your
people prospecting in a business way?"
1--WE have not been doing well in the
last year or So" was the reply. our
chief industry is sugar. We have about
500, 900 900 worth OF plantations, and
last year our sugar product amounted
to more than 100000 tons, valued at $685.
100000 Sugar has been very low-so
low, indeed, that upon plantations cap
itallzed at $50, OOO,OO0 the average earn
gs-aooordlng TO my own figures
have not been more than three-tenths
OF / per cent, This Is estimated on
the actual expenses ana earnings for
T~-~ 81 0ConfInued