The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-28
TERRITORY
IN CONGRESS
Hawaii's Efforts to Get
Some Federal
Money.
mail Special to the Advertiser.)

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. 16.-The |
Hawaiians here are very busy laying |
foundations for appropriations. They
realize that Congress is settling down
to the enactment of appropriation bills
and about all the Territory can hope
for at this short session is share OF
the many millions that are to be au-
thorized for projects of many KINDS
and characters all over the broad land
Hence the activity in behalf of the
Hilo breakwater, which has to be con-
sidered by the Rivers and Harbors
Committee, of which Representative
Burton is chairman and which Is now
framing a bill; hence also the activity
in behalf of appropriations for fortifica-
tions for the islands and so on. Bills
have been introduced in Delegate ka-
lanianaole g name, to appropriate $780,
600 for light of the first order at
Kaiaupapa, on the north coast OF Molo-
kai, and similar sum for similar
Iipnt at Mana Point on the island OF
Kauai The Delegate himself has not
vet arrived in Washington and 1t Is
not definitely known here where ne Is
at the present time. Both these 1ght-
house bills have been referred to the
House Interstate Commerce Committee
but thdy have little chance at tins ses-
sion of Congress as it is not intended
TO have any general lighthouse legisla-
ton this winter. :,
The chairman of the House Commit
fee on claims-R James
M. Miller. of Kansas-has been asked
to advance the claim of Hawaii to
500. 900 for the maintenance of 1ght-
houses in the Territory before the Fed
eral government took them over. Ii
the claim, takes its turn ON the calendar
it can not be reached at this session.
On the plea that it is territorial
claim and therefore entitled to more
consideration, perhaps, than private
claim. the chairman may be wiling TO
nut it ahead of other claims when the
House has a day set aside for the
consideration of claims bills.
POOR OUTLOOK FOR FORTS.
The outlook for additional approprla
fions for Notifications in Hawaii is not
of the brightest. The War Depart
ment would like to have 100000 fo1
<.fire control'' in Hawaii Notifications
and it would also like to have $500,
600 in addition to the $260,0O0 appro
priated at the last session, but the
trouble is that the War department
has not vet begun in earnest to expeho
the S260,000 already appropriated zen
John P Story, of the artillery corps
who was sent to Hawa1 and the fhliip up
mines to report upon plans for build
ing, Notifications has not yet made hls
report. is not, in fact, back from tht
Philippines. Therefore Congress feel
that the additional money for fort1fica
tions in Hawaii can just as well be ap
propriated at the next session OF Con
oress. Mr.. George b. Mcclellan ha
seen members of the Notifications com
mittee of the House several times bu
hes gained but little encouragement
from them.
THE REFUNDING BILL.
The refunding bill, that passed tn
Senate at the last session of Congress
and has lain on the Speaker S tapI
i ever since. was recently referred TO tn
y House Committee on Territories. Ina
I committee had already reported out
} refunding bill favorably, but 1T WI
now be necessary for the committee t
act on the Senate bill and, IT cons1d
Grafton by the House is reached at al
it will be upon this Senate bill. A
stated in my last letter the prospect
of anv favorable action on the re1unC
ing bill at this session are very re
mote, as the Speaker is stoutly oppose
to the principle involved IN the IeglsIa
tion.
NAVY HOSPITAL SERVICE.
The annual report of the Surgeo
General of the Navy has paragrap
about the Naval Station at Honolulu
which says:
..The present sick quarters are II
adeuuate to the needs of the station, a
Droyision is made for the care OF 81
rious cases of illness among the navi
personnel at the civil hospital. FL
small dispensary suffices for emergenc
cases.
9.The opening of a naval station
Pearl Harbor will neeessitate the bull'
ino of a naval hospital there. a tra'
of land near the Punchbowl. suggeste
as desirable location for such no
nitaI. has been inspected, but this loc'
tion is too remote if the site propose
for the station at Pearl Harbor [
adopted.
PANAMA CONTRACT.
The proposed Panama Canal contrae
by the way, is one of the most unlqt
on record. In fact nothing just lie
it was ever before conceived. In III
first place the construction of the who
project. approaches. canal proper, lock
Gatun dam. reservoir anJ all are to |
let as one job to one contractor. Th
is the most gigantic single contract ev'
!. prornera Tn the second place the bi
~ Continued on Page Two)