The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-20
ALL HAWAII ASKS
IS FAIR PLAY"
So Says Congressman Alex
ander, One of Our Recent
Visitors.

In the Boston Herald of July is
the following interview with Congress
man D. s. Alexander, one of the party
that arrived here on the transport
Buford, May 8:
BUFFALO, N. Y, July I. 1907.-The
Congressional party, which consisted
or twenty-five members, including
senator Piles of Washington, who rep
resented seventeen states and several
prominent committees of the House,
was the guest of the Territory of Ha-
wall and the purpose of its visit was
to gain from personal observation the
resources as we'll as the needs of the
islands
We visited the largest islands, y
says Congressman D. S. Alexander,
and were shown with care the cuI-
ture of the rubber trees, the pine
apple, coffee, rice and sugar. The par
ty also made a special study of the
schools, not only in Honolulu, but in
small villages in the outlying islands.
The Japanese population, number
ing over $4,000, interested US deeply,
and after seeing their children in the
men who have had the advantage of
American birth and education, we saw
no reason why they should not make
patriotic American citizens.
The people of the islands ask Moth
ing in the way of federal aid more
than do the people of the States Their
harbors need Improvement, but only
the one at Hilo, on the island of Ha-
waii, was pressed upon our attention
A breakwater at that point is needed
and will undoubtedly be provided in
the next rivers and harbors bill. An
insufficient appropriation, with a
string tied to it, has already been
made. Proper fortifcations are also
desired and these are being provided
as rapidly as the government can do so.
Pearl Harbor, in the vicinity of Ho-
nolulu, is not needed for commercial
purposes, but it can easily and with
little expense be made a naval supply
Station. Fhe- water is deep. it is land
locked and the government now con-
trolls land enough for all its needs.
This, however, is a question for the
navy authorities. When they really
need Pearl Harbor, Congress will prob
ably appropriate the money.
THE residents of the islands want
and need relief from the coastwise
regulations. Under the law
as it is at present, a man taking pas
sage in a foreign ship to San Fran
cisco or other American port is liable
to a penalty of 5000. This confines
traffic to American vessels, but the
limited number of such vessels touch
ing at Hawaiian ports often compel
the prospective voyagers to wait sew
eraI weeks. More American vessels
must be supplied or the use of boats
Of foreign registration should be al
lowed The lack of adequate accom-
nodations in this respect has long been
felt, but with especial keenness since
The failure of the shipping subsidy bill
n the last Congress.
II can only speak with enthusiasm
IF the high character of the people of
he Hawaiian islands, of their maca-
iamized roads, not surpassed in the
States, their fine public schools, well
equipped libraries, handsome public
buildings and excellent hotels.
Society is as settled as it is in Bos-
or
Honolulu has a population of 10000,
nut in wealth, in the character of its
streets, its buildings, its handsome
esidences and the magnitude of it's
ommerce, it compares favorably with /
n American city having five times /
s many people.
THE Hawaiian people ask of Con- /
ress only fair play. The real purpose /
f their invitation seemed to be TO give +
IS an adequate idea of their great /
aturaI resources and what had been
one to develop them