The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-05-28

| h"u"l IN part OF representing IN IN
| House OF Representatives.
81 represent the district which pro
duces nine.tcnths OF all the raisin
| produced In the United States, and WI
could not ship the products OF roisin,
| To the Eastern market were ii not fol
| protective tarltl. | come from the Stat,
| that produces the citrus fruits which
are protected by duty of one cent
| pound. IL costs the Californian pro
ducers ninety cents box in freight
to land box of oranges in Chicago
or New York. II costs the foreign
| producers from jamaica but thirty
cents box to land the same quantity
of oranges in the same market by rca.
son of cheap freight. But the duty
upon box of oranges is 60 cents a
box. AS a result the California pro.
Queer can ship his freight to the East.
ern market and can compete with the
other countries by reason of the tariff
This tariff law means whole lot to
the farmers of the State of California.
~ give you these concrete examples
to show you what has been done di-
rectly for the industries of the soil
of the State of California. The same
is true of olives.
81 can say that it is no longer true
that the tariff does not give direct
benefit to the industries of the soil.
| can prove that it does, and as it
has helped the soil of California, so it
helps and will help the soil of Ha.
wau. 1t will be your duty, therefore.
in my Judgment, to send men to Wash
ington to make clear the situation in
the islands, so that these matters in
which you are interested can be made
plain to Congress.
OUR DEFENSIVE OUTPOST.
1T is now my pleasure to introduce
to you as the next speaker, Honorable
]. J. Fitzgerald of New York" said
the POSTMASTER in calling upon the
next speaker. 1.-The only Democratic
member in the bunch"
II think an undue advantage has
been taken of me by my friend Mr.
Needham, who stated that his subject
was a political one" began the gen.
tleman from New York. Il am only
sorry that | was not assigned one that
dealt more with politics.
Two thousand miles from q friend
ly port these islands have been spoken
of as the crossroads of the Pacific.
would say that they are the four cor
ners of the Pacific. think 1t was as
early as 1851 that the Congress of the
United States directed the War and
Navy Department to report on things
necessary for the protection of the pos
sessions of the Hawaiian Islands. Now
we come here to make similar report
for tho Of a. IrnitaI
Of America. (Applause) And / think
that it is safe to say that not only the
vi.lting delegation, but the entire Con-
gress of the United States underesti-
mates the Importance of these islands
as defensive point to he coast of the
United States. 1t has been stated that
i is strategically the most unique place
IN the world, in that no foreign vessel |
IN time of war can reach the west |
coast of the United States across the |
Pacific unless they can touch these |
Islands for coal and refitting. 1t Is |
to reach any other port |
IF American soil without passing this |
great strategical point. 1t may be |
possible for vessels to pass other stra-
egic points. but 1t is impossible for "a |
hostile fleet to pass across this ocean |
inless it Is possible for her to reft and |
'oal here in the Hawaiian Islands.
MY associates have been unanimous
n their desire to establish here forth
ications so that these islands may be-
ONE a great naval base. | have read
he statement of Admiral Very that the
position of these islands is of the ut
most Importance to the United States
RON a military Standpoint that no
Iostile power could attack the Pacific
'oast of the United States unless they
an stop here, and that it would be
asier to defend the Pacific coast by
he possession of these islands than 1t
would be without the possession of
hese islands.
1T may be that, perhaps, the work
4 the Qualifications On the islands does
lot proceed rapidly. Some of my as
ociates on the committee. who are
more active and more youthful rhan
'e, are not so enthusiastic as we may
'e on this question. / wish to say
hat there Is no difference in the un-
erstanding to establish the fortifica-
ions here and that we are trying 10
stablish the work of fortifying these
stands as rapidly as possible. (Ap~
lause) There is sometimes differ
nee of opinion as to the amount of
honey that can be expended. In that
aspect members will always differ. But
~ experience In Congress Is that Con-
ress is appropriating just as rapidly I
$ the War Department has been able
. use the money. (Applause.) All
the sites that 1t has been possible
, acquire have been acquired. The !
esign of the guns. and the scheme for
ne placing of the guns are being work
4 upon by the War Department, and
lst as promptly as they assure us they
re ready, / am sure that Congress viii
ppropriate the money TO make those
improvements. (Applause)
That the Islands have been neglect
] is not so, because it can be stated
nat Congress has appropriated at the
ate Of three To one, for the fortiflca-
ons of these Islands, as much as II
as for the Notifications OF the At
mite and Pacific coasts. II is twenty ,
ears since the fortifications Of the a
ainland We're Initiated, and II Is es-
mated that only about two-thlrds OF 4
le work has been accomplished. The 4
rtihcations OF these Islands win cost [
'er three millions OF dollars. a
on THE PLANT Y
ERS. o