The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-09-03
MERCHANTS
ARE ANGRY
(From Saturdays Advertiser. }


to show the truth of the reports we
hear all the time on the streets, that
the sugar interest is the only interest
that gets any consideration in these
matters" said E. A. McInerny toward
the end of the meeting of the Mer-
chants Association, called yesterday to
take action in the matter of passing a
resolution endorsing the project to Sc
cure drydock for Pearl Harbor. That
resolution was adopted all right, but the
question of the adoption of the report
of the special committee of the Cham
Der of Commerce, in which it was sta
ted that the Sugar Factors had asked
for the withdrawal of the direct steam
er from Salina Cruz to Honolulu, was
the main issue of the meeting after it
had been called. Over this matter the
various members of the Association dis
played considerable heat, denouncing
the persons and organizations which
had taken it upon themselves to move
in the matter and who had ignored the
merchants altogether.
1T is the most outrageous and high
handed proceeding I ever heard Of"
said Mr.. McInerny, "for any man or
men to ask any steamship company to
so alter their schedule"
"It seems just as ridiculous to ask
that vessel be held up at San Diego
for quarantine after having been given
clean bill of health by the Federal
authorities at Salina Cruz, as it would
be to hold a vessel up at San Francisco,
after being passed by DR.. Cofer here,
because it had not been again inspected
and fumigated at Sausalito," said
George w. Smith.
"The merchants have been entirely
ignored in all the arranging of sched-
ules. If there were more harmony be-
tween the different commercial organi-
cations of this city-without mention
ing any names-things could be arrang-
ed better,' was the contribution deliv-
cred by F. W. sWaldron.
eff we cannot protect ourselves
against one vessel from Salina Cruz,
what are we going to do when the
Panama canal is opened9 I regard the
cable sent to Washington as reflection
on the health authorities of Washing
ton. We don't want to lay ourselves
liable to yellow fever, but we can
safely rely on the Federal inspection
and fumigation to protect us. Why
should we hold up our hands in holy
horror and say that vessels must not
come direct from the Isthmus to Ho-
nolulu? l consider that very bad
precedent was the way in which E.
H. Paris viewed the situation.
"Do any of the members know what
they are talking about7" demanded
another member. "It seems to me that
we ought to find out if we have been
hurt or not. What do we know about
itP"
"We know that the Chamber of Com.
merce sent cablegram to New York
asking that the direct steamer from
Salina Cruz to Honolulu be cut out, -
answered Mr.. Paris.
yes, but why did they send ita"
Because the Sugar Factors Com
pany asked them to-" again answered
Paris, who was the only one to mention
the Chamber of Commerce by name
during the whole discussion.
eyes, but why did they send it?
1t seems to me that we ought to go
slow in this matter. We don't want to
get any yellow fever down here. Per
haps they were right in sending it. -
"That may be all very WELL" said
McInerny, "but what consideration do
the merchants get in it5 The first
ever heard of the matter was when /
read it in the Advertiser yesterday
morning. l was never consulted, you
were never consulted, not one of the
merchants was consulted in the matter
at ALL"
The plea to wait until some more def
mite information was had in the matter
carried, however, special committee
of three members being named to look
into the affair and report back at an
early meeting of the association. The
three named for the committee are
Messrs. Petrie, Bush and Waldron.
PEARL HARBOR RESOLUTION.
A report of the committee empowered |
to draft a resolution endorsing the |
commercial necessity of a drydock and
harbor facilities at Pearl Harbor was
received as the first matter of business |
to be taken up, the report being unani- |
mously adopted. The resolution carried |
with it was:
Whereas, The necessity for ade-
quate drydock facilities at, or near,
Honolulu has long been recognized by
those engaged and interested in ship
ping and transportation on the Pacific |
Ocean; and
Whereas. The United States is pos |