The San Francisco call., 1907-06-09
CONGRESSMAN STEVENS
SAYS HAWAIIiNs' FATE
DEPENDS UPON POLITICS
Protection of Great Sugar
Industry Is Key to
Situation
TOURIST GIVES VIEWS
Declares Ship Subsidies
Are Impossible for
the Present
TOURIST GIVES VIEWS


That the future of the Hawaiian ISL
ands is purely political question hing
ing on the duration of the protection
of its sugar industry by the Dingley
tariff law is the opinion of Congress
man Fred c. Stevens of st. Paul.
Congressman Stevens is one of the
prominent members of the congressior-
al party which returned yesterday from
a months tour of the Hawaiian archi-
pelago Stevens is considered to be
one of the strong men of the lower
house. He is just entering upon the
twelfth year of his congressional SER
vice He has been one of the silent"
men in congress. His speeches have
portant AS a member of the inter-
state commerce committee and at one
time of the committee on military af-
fairs, he has long been recognized as
cne OF the powers in the house and in
the councils of the republican party.
The Investigations conducted by the
representatives of the several commit
tees will, according to Congressman
Stevens, result in strong recommenda-
tions and the improvements of Pearl
harbor and the harbor at Honolulu.
The people of Hawaii made strong
bid for tariff on coffee, but their ap-
peal will not result in any favorable
recomm mendations to congress, because
it is not the policy or the committee on
ways and means to permit any tarin
schedule tinkering at the next session
The prosperity of Hawaii" said
n
wrapped up in its sugar industry, and
the future of the islands is purely a
political question hinging on the dura-
ton of the protection given the sugar
industry by the Dingley tarfn. So long
as the people of the islands reap the
benefits of the Dingley tariff, so Iona
their prosperity is assured There is
no question of Hawaiian tariff; but
suppose. as the result of political
necessity or manipulation, we should
annex Cuba. The tariff on sugar would
then mean nothing to Hawaii Its one
protection would be swept away They
want a tariff on coffee to enable them
TO build up another industry, but it Is
Impossible. There will be no tarifl
legislation by this congress. We viii
be able to help them in other ways
but not with tariff.
The manner in which the people
of the islands have become American
lied is as gratifying as il is surpris'
ing There are no more intensely pa
triotic Americans living under the star:
and stripes than the native citizens
of Hawaii In the matter of exclu
sion of oriental labor they differ witt
the people OF the Pacific coast states
because the conditions are entirely diff
ferent They do not want the orient
ais shut out The oriental is INSOFAR
ably bound up with their labor prob
lens and il is astonishing how abl,
they handle their problems. There il
the best OF good feeling between th'
people of the islands and the orientals
who. contrary to our expectations, ar
Americanized very readily. The tota
white population is about $4,000 o
10000 out of a grand total of abou
16O 900. There is no attempt to segre
gate orientals in the schools, except il
the matter Of age, such as the people @
/ San Francisco insisted upon"
/ Congressman Stevens has through
ont his congressional service taken
leading part in proposed ship subsid,
LEGISLATION. Touching the defeat o
subsidies by the last congress. Steven
said:
For the present ship subsidies ar
! impossible The people of the centra
west are disgusted with the object
/ and probable results of the old Hanna
Payne bill and are not yet reconcile
TO the idea of giving subsidies to an
corporation. The merchant marine o
the Pacific is unfortunately the victim
of the popular prejudice against tn
! ing lines of ships in connection wit
the railroads.
Some of the eastern republican
voted to exclude the Pacific ocea
lines from the provisions of the bill
Then some of us, believing such bil
to be of no general benefit, vote
against 1t in its amended form Th
| development of the Pacific merchan
marine is more important than the de
velopment of Atlantic ocean shipping
but unfortunately the people are no
impressed with the Importance of tn
development of any merchant marin'
So long as the present prosperity con
tinues it will be impossible to per
suade the people to pay subsidy fo
the development of a foreign trade.
Again. as long as the public enter
tains its existing prejudice against til
great railroad companies and railwa
managers it will not be possible fc
congress to vote for a subsidy whic
would assist in the establishment {
steamship lines in connection with til
great railroads. The time may arriy
when the necessity of a foreign trad
} will appeal to the business sense {
the American people They may som
time realize that the best means of ns
tional defense lies in the developmer
of merchant marine. but unfortunat.
ly that time has not arrived"
. Congressman Stevens and Mrs. Ste,
ems who accompanied him, will be vi
able to participate in the entertain
ments rendered the members of I'll
! congressional party by the people
California and will leave today for S