The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-11-06

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Oct 2o.--The
proper authority has been given In the
War and Navy Departments for the use
OF the $4,000 appropriation by Congress
at its last session to make the filling
near the navy yard ut Honolulu. Chief
OF Engineers Mckenzie. of the army.
and Admiral Endicott. OF the Bureau of
Yards and Docks OF the Navy DEPART
ment. are to have further consulta-
ton on the matter. but there seems
now to be nothing In the way OF tho
| work.
Plans by Captain slattery for this
work are already on file here and con-
template filling In the plat near the
naval reservation. and also digging out
the silt that has filled In the channel
to an appreciable. extent. The War
Department decides that the unexpend-
ed balance of the appropriation for
dredging the harbor can be used in
widening the channel along that por-
tion of the harbor.
The request of Governor Carter for
instructions from the Government
about the disbursement of $4,000 APP
| propriated for the expenses of the Ha-
waiian Legislature Is now before the
Comptroller of the Treasury, Mr.. Trace
well. A decision from him with regard
to those expenditures Is expected within
| q few days.
The Cuban situation has not changed
materially since Secretary Taft return
ed. He has had several long confer
ences with the President and Secretary
| Root on the subject, but no conclusions
| hoy ha .iexr,
is now on, and the elections are so near
that every effort Is being made to
make 1t appear that the administration
is not countenancing annexation. How
| ever. 1t Is not to be doubted that the
confidential reports Secretary Taft has
made have disheartened the President
much and that the prospects of a pro-
| tectorate or something very close to an
| nexation have grown greatly during the
past week.
With a session Of Congress less than
two months away the gossip about the
work has already begin. The schemes
for general legislation are being
preached. Every politician of import
| ance who comes to town to see the
President has his views
Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin,
brought the first prominent suggestion
a few days ago, when he was here by
invitation of the President, to discuss
Cuba and other current topics of in
terest to the President. He sounded an
alarm about the currency and declared
that reform legislation at the coming
! session was imperative to ward off the
danger of serious financial panic. Mr..
no
cause of his high standing in Congress
and his influential position on the
finance committee, which deals with
that kind of bills. The President Is
going to recommend such legislation in
his annual message, according to the
reports, and Comptroller of the Curren-
cy Ridgeley has gone to st. Louis to
attend the bankers convention and also
to arouse some sentiment in that body
for the desired legislation.
The objection that meets all propo-
sitions for general legislation at the
Forthcoming session is its brevity. Con-
gress meets early in December, but 1t
rarely accomplishes much prior to the
holidays, and when the holidays are
over there remain but two months of
the life of the Congress. Practically
all of that time is required to pass the
appropriation bills. The session will be
one of much agitation on several pro-
posed measures, judging from present
appearances. Probably currency reform
and plans for a more elastic currency
will be widely discussed. The President
can be counted upon to propose a num-
Der of matters in his annual message
that will lead to debate. Few bills of
National interest pass the two Houses
until there has been a session or two
of discussion. Public sentiment must
crystalline before Congress will heed
demands for law, the underlying prin-
ciple being that there is no reason to
blaze out new legislative trails till the
public want them.
A day or two after Senator Spooner
came to town, Speaker Cannon ran in"
for Sunday of rest from the tedium
of his travel by private car and
promptly vetoed any project for tinker
ing with the currency at the coming
session or at any session in the near
future. "Oh. we can't indulge in any
child's play" said the ruler of the
House. sour per capita circulation is
very large. The people all seem to
have bank accounts and to be blessed
with an abundance of money. / hear
the bankers occasionally quarrellng
about asset currency. but no two of
them seem to be in agreement about
what should be done.
NO" he added with that character
istic quaver OF his voice. currency re-
AMERICANIZlNG