Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-06
IN FAR-0FF HAWAII
Talk With Governor Garter
About the Islands.
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY
CHANCES FOR YOUNG AMER1-
CANS IN THE PACIFIC.
Aaves Are Dying Off Very Rapidly
Tourist Travel - Uncle
Sans Lepers.

Copyrighted, 1904. by Frank G. Carpenter)
Written for The Evening Star.
Uncle Sam can well afford to do some
thing for the Sandwich Islands"
These were the words of Mr.. George Rob
ert Carter, the young governor or Hawaii
who is now in this country where he came
to attend the national republican conven-
ton and the St Louis exposition.
Yes" continued the governor, Il say
that Uncle Sam cannot afford not to do
more for us than he Is now doing We are
one of the best pieces of dtvidend-paying
property that the old gentleman has We
are paying more into the national treasury
in proportion to our numbers than any
other part of the United ST ties. We are
netting the government almost 81 per head
every year, and there are no deficits. Our
government taxes now amount to 1888 per
capita, and the government spends upon US
only 81 62, SO that there is a gain to the
national treasury of s691 for every man.
woman and child in the Hawaiian Islands
every year. Here In the United States
proper the annual cost of government Is
$707 per capita, wonderful showing In
favor of Hawaii.
Want Better Harbors.
But what are the Sandwich Islands cry
ing about, Mr. Carter? Do they not get all
they need in the way of government
funds?'
NO" replied the young governor I'VE
need new harbors and other public Inn
provements The United States is now
spending something like S66,OOO,OOO on Its
harbors and 1t is alleged that millions of
that money go into dry rivers and creeks
In the back counties However that may
be, none OF 1t comes to Hawaii, one Of the
places where 1t is most needed. We ought
to have better shipping facilities at Homo
lulu We have overtaxed ourselves to sup
ply them, and from now on the money
should come from the national government.
We have deepened the harbor from year to
wear endeavoring to keep up with the great
steamers which wish to enter It, 1t now
needs additional dredging to depth OF
about thirty-fve feet, for the great ships
which have been recently built for the
trans Pacific trade draw thirty-two feet of
water. They would come to our Islands,
but they have to anchor outside. We need
also a breakwater at the port OF Hilo, on
the Island of Hawaii, and there are other
places that should be improved"
II doubt IL the people here appreciate
the commercial Importance of the Hawaiian
Islands" continued Gov. Carter. we al
ready stand eleventh among our ports as TO
the tonnage of our American shipping, and
we are increa sing every year we are AT
the cross roads OF the Pacific; at the great
station between Australia and New Zea-
land and this continent and between the
United States and Asia. When the Pana-
ma 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
Gov Carter?' ! asked
1--WE are GAO miles from the western
end OF the big canal and a little more than
half way on the route between that canal
and Yokohama, Japan. We are $500 miles
from Auckland, New Zealand, o.Uo miles
from Hong Kong and 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 call at our
ports -
'The steamers of the Pacific are steadily
growing in number and size The new
boats of Jim Hil's line are among the
largest of the world, and the Korea and
siberia of the Pacific Mail Company.
which now call at Honolulu on their way
from San Francisco. have each $4,000 tons,
and are rs 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
two knots and the Korea has gone from
Honolulu to San Francisco in less than
FIVE days. Those ships bring the Sandwich
Islands almost as close to the United States
In point of time as Porto Rico.
Hawaii in 1904.
what is the condition OF the islands to-
day GOVERNOR / asked. Are your peo-
pie 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 hun
dred million dollars worth of plantations,
and last year our sugar product amounted
10 more than 400, 600 tons, valued at
SOS 900. 900. Sugar has been very low-so
low indeed. that upon plantations capital
lied at SS9,0O0.000 the average earnings
according TO my own fgures-have not
been more than three-tenths of one per
cent This Is estimated on the actual ex,
penses and earnings for one year. Sugar
is now going up. and We look for much
better times.
Are the sugar plantations well man.
aged, Mr.. Carter?"
Yes" replied the governor of Hawaii
They are handled as carefully, as scien-
tifically and as economically as any plan
tations of the world. They are equipped