The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-27
w. o. Smith Mai
ing a Fight
On 1t.
O!heriiawaiianC Concern
at Washin gton and
How They Fare.
(Mail Special TO the Advertiser,)

(Alau Spec1ai 10 The AdNeruSer.J q
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. Is.~
Representatives here of Hawaiian irs
terests have joined forces with Secre
tary of War Taft to oppose the biIAS
pending before Congress to extend tl1H
coastwise laws 20 shipping between tf
mainland and the Philippine islands
Mr.. w. o. Smith, of Honolulu, travelled
part OF the sway on his long journey tSI
Washington, in company with Judgs.
Taft, then returning from the PhiiipHE
pines and had excellent opportunity ts'
discuss with him shipping matters afl
fecting the Hawaiian islands.
Since reaching Washington, Mr.
Smith has had further conferences witt
Judge Taft who has entered aggressives
ly upon the fight against the enactmen
of any such law There are FIVE Bills
affecting the situation, now before SenN
ate and House, but the important onS
is that introduced by Senator Frye ane
fayorably reported from the Senate:
Committee on Philippines, of which Sens|
ator Lodge is chairman. 1t provided
that all trade between the mainland ansS
the Philippines must be carried iIai
American bottoms This week MrfI
Smith has collected a list of all thSI
available ships of every character undefI
American registry for carrying freighf|
between Hawaii and the mainland. Witfsi
this list he has prepared statement
showing the capacity OF these same
ships. 1t shows that if all such ships
were used in carrying the sugar CROP
there would still be 100000 tons that
the ships would be unable to carry az
round Cape Horn and that thereforel
this amount OF freight would have to-
be hauled by rail across the cortinent2|
paying, of course, any excessive rateSs
up to the limit of what the producers
could afford to the transcontinental rail-
road.
All this information has been placed
by Mr.. Smith in the hands of judge
/ aft, who was much gratified to have
it, The information will be used bys
him TO enforce his argument with Con- I
gress against the enactment of any suci1al
legislation as is contemplated by fhel
Frye bill. Nh Smith has done not a
little other work at the Capitol against
this measure, pointing ont that it would
work additional hardship just at the II
time the Hawaiian planters are suffering +
from the lower prices for sugar on ac-s
count OF the Cuban tariff treaty. In this 4.
and other work, since his arrival, he i
mas been aided by William Haywood. y
INTERESTS AT WORK. 4
The shipping interests, among them J
hose along the New England coasts,
he states of which section are strongly A
represented in the Senate Philippines N
Committee are earnestly pressing fc,r
he enactment of the Frye bill at this
session. Senator Hale, of Maine, one
II the leading members Of the commit-
ee, represents an influential cOnstitu y
.ncy OF ship builders and ship owners at 4
Bath, ali OF whom are vigorously ap- 4
)iauding his efforts 10 have the bill en-
lcted into law. Senator Lodge, of Mas
achuseits, chairman of the COMMITTEES,
5 urged on by like constituency. He
:xpects to bring the bill up in the SEN
lie in the course OF a few weeks, as 1T 4
5 now definitely settled that the final
.ote or the Panama Canal treaty will
,e taken not later than February 23.
hat viii open the way for considera-
ion OF considerable other pending legis-
alton.
The opinion seems 10 be that the Frye
i'll will pass the Senate However,
here is general understanding that
t will not be taken up in the House
t this session Probably there is no
Ianger until next year and it IS hoped +
hat in the mean time things will work
round so that the legislation can be
defeated. Meantime the OPP
onents OF the bill are letting no lame
ass. preferring to exert themselves to
he utmost to show how disastrous such 4
law would be. The Hawaiian rep
esentatiyes, OF course. are emphasizing &
ow the restriction Of carrying trade +
etween the Philippines would place
1ore business upon the very vessels that
Continued on page 2.)