The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-20
Val. UES
NEAR PEARL
HARBOR
Delegate Kuhio Gives
Committeeman
Light.
Mail Special to the Advertiser.l

| WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. S.-The
| Notifications appropriation BILL which
has just been favorably reported to the
"For construction of seacoast batter
| les in the Hawaiian and Philippine
| Islands, $6OO,O00.''
In addition to this the bill carries an
appropriation for sites for Notifications.
of which Honolulu S proportion will be
about $4,000. 1t also carries an ap-
preparation for armament, of which
Honolulu s proportion should be approx
imately $4,000. Accordingly the total
Hawaiian appropriation on the fortii
cations bill is about 100000 as re-
ported to the House.
That is all there is in the bill about
it, although the heading reads: "For-
tifcatiOns in insular possessions. 1t
is to be expected that the bill will pass
the House, but what notifications will
be made in the Senate can not now be
told. The inference is that the bill. as
it now stands contains 100000 for con-
structiOn of seacOast batteries in the
la IoichiS, bCCduSt the VIEWS Ol
the minority of the appropriations com
mittee, signed by representatives
Brundige of Arkansas and John A. Sui
livan of Massachusetts, starts off as
follows:
eve realize that this bill. in the !
main, is conservative and economical, |
and materially reduces the appropria-
tions of the past year, but we can not |
agree with the committee in making |
the appropriation of 100000 for the |
purpose of fortifying the Philippine and
Hawaiian Islands, for the reason that |
of this sum it is contemplated that |
$400,0 600 is to be used in the cOnstruc-
ton of Notifications in the Philippine
Islands, the two points mentioned be-
ing Manila and Subig Bay
A fight on the item is likely on the /
floor of the House and not unlikely
some one will be found also to make a
fight in the Senate on the item. AS
things look now, however, the fight will
be directed against the part of the APP
which is for Manila, rather
than for the part intended for Hawaii.
THE DELEGATE EXPLAINS.
When the subcommittee, Representa-
tive Walter |. Smith of Iowa, was pre-
caring the bill extended hearings were
given and there was considerable testi-
nony by Gen. Mckenzie, Chief of En-
and Maj F. V. Abbott on the
necessity for appropriations for Pearl
Iarbor and Honolulu Later Delegate
and Mr.. George B. Nc
Ilellan appeared before the sub-com-
nittee to explain about the reports that
he price of land in Hawaii was exorbi-
ant.
Delegate Kalanianaole, in appearing
before the subcommittee. made the fol |
owing statement: ''Gentlemen of the {
shall not undertake to
rgue to you the strategic Importance
# the Hawaiian Islands or the general |
eed of Notifications there. All the
military and naval authorities of the q.
J., for more than a quarter of a cen
urv have urged the Importance to the
Jnited States of this strategic point.
- For more than fifty years England
rance and Japan all sought some
round on which they could obtain the
overeignty of the Hawaiian Islands
ecause of its military and naval inn
ortance.
IF these facts do not convince your t
ommittee of the inheritance of fortifv- L
ng this KEY to the Pacific, then no ar n
uments of mine would in any way in
uence you to that end.
@ 1t is important to our people in Ha- o
ali that these Notifications should be h
for in case of war. a single t.
rmored cruiser of the enemy could
Ike possession of Honolulu, cut the y
able, and fully isolate us from the out il
dc world
But I do not at all expect that you Il
i'll provide any Qualifications in Ha- =
ali for the particular benefit of the | =
eople living there. I recognize that | o.
Dur attention VIII be taken solely OF y
e ground that our national interests, | u
al that the benefits and projections ! h