The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-11-22
SOUND ADVICE TO HAWAII
BY WILLARD OF LOS ANGELES

The twenty years fight between the
citizens of Los Angeles and the South
ern Pacific railroad and the final vic
tory of the people over the corporation
in the matter of free harbor was
related in an intensely interesting way
before the members of the Chamber
Of Commerce at their regular BIZ
monthly meeting yesterday afternoon,
Charles D. Willard, of Los Angeles,
being the speaker.
The theme of Mr.. Wizards address
was to point out the advantages that
may accrue to Honolulu through the
Dor at San Pedro, through which two
transcontinental lines will seek an
outlet to the Orient. He prefaced his
remarks by stating that he was speak
ing in no official capacity, but at the
request of H. P Wood, man to whom
it was extremely difficult to say no.
Honolulu today is in about the same
position commercially speaking that
Los Angeles was twenty years ago.
when the harbor fight began, stated
the speaker, not twenty years behind
the times, but in the same relative
position as an isolated community. Los
Angeles then and Honolulu now were
in the position of a good store on a
back street, a place which had things
to offer but which had to advertise to
attract those who would buy. Then.
the flow of travel was past Los An
geles, just as 1t is past Honolulu. But
the Los Angeles people. through their
Chamber of Commerce, had advertis-
ed. freely to the extent OF a million
dollars, and the result has been re-
markable. The struggle was long
one but the people there realized that
advertising was long range PROPOSE
tion, the results of which could not
be seen at once.
The advantage of Southern Calitor-
mia, the same as Hawaii, was climate,
but the community had 10 overcome
the same idea that win have to be
overcome in Hawaii, that Il was
rich mans country, a place where
large ranches and farms could prosper
but which did not have advantages to
attract the small farmers and the
smaller enterprises, the real backbone
Of prosperity to any country. This idea
is gone so far as Southern California
Is concerned.
The Los Angeles Chamber OF Conn
merce worked industrlously In bring
ing in and interesting settlers. and laid
down as cardinal principle the rule
that the farmers and manufacturers
should raise and make for themselves
everything that was needed In the
country that could be made there. and
the good money that had been going
out or the country for these things
was kept and added to the prosperity
OF the community. And all the time
the work OF advertising the city OF
Los Angeles was Kept up. until 1t has
now become known as one OF the best
advertised cities on the continent and
to which people. tourists and settlers
are pouring In all the time.
Mr.. Willard then told many inter-
esting details Of the struggle between
Coils p. Huntington and the Los An
geles Chamber OF Commerce., The for
mer wanted to secure Federal appro.
priations for the development OF q
harbor at Santa Monica. while the lat
ter, backed by the States representa-
tives in Congress and all the import
ant commercial bodies of California.
contended that San Pedro should be
developed as being a free port. With
the various threats made by Hunting
ton. the bribes offered by him. the in
triguing in Washington and the other