Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-03-20

Following is the letter of Secretary
Straus to the House Committee on
Merchant Marine approving the sus-
pension of the shipping fine:
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, Feb. 3, 1908.
Dear Sir:-Your letter of January
"a hS- teen received, inclosing II.
Il. 1896, "a bill to amend the laws
concerning transportation between
the ports of the Territory of Hawaii
and other ports of the United States"
IN reply to your request for my views
upon the bill, | invite attention TO the
following extract from my report for
1907:
The need of better transportation
facilities for passengers between Ha-
wall and the Pacific Coast was inn
pressed upon me during a recent in
2pection trip to the Territory. In
consequence of the failure to provide
sufficient mail pay.at the last session
Of Congress, our mail line to Austria
liza by way of Honolulu and the Sa-
moan group has recently been aban-
doned. This abandonment Is Sc
rious blow to our political and com-
mercial prestige on the Pacific, but
the loss Is felt especially by the
people of Hawaii. The three steam
ers of this line made seventeen or
eighteen voyages annually between
Honolulu and San Francisco. and
| vice versa, and of this regular and
| comfortable means of travel the peo-
pie of Honolulu and the islands are
how deprived. The importance of
knitting to ourselves as closely as
| possible our insular territory in the
| Pacific does not need argument. The
| sentiment In Hawaii in favor of sus-
pending the law which restricts pas
| 5enger trade between the Territory
| and the mainland to American YES
sells Is indisputably general and
strong. The suspension desired will
not be necessary If Congress be will
ing at the coming session to pass a
Gill for improved mail communities
ton with South America, Australia,
and Asia, as already suggested"
A bill Is. 2S) for improved mail
communication with South America,
Australia, and Asia In accord with
the recommendation of the Presi-
dent in his annual message, of the
Postmaster General in his annual re.
port, and with the views ! have re.
iterated above has been favorably re.
ported by the Senate Committee on
Commerce, and similar bill Oh. II
1869 is pending before the House
Committee on the Postofiice and
post-Roads. The passage OF that
measure would obviate action upon
II. II. 1896.
Large considerations of public pol,
icy, which are doubtless evident &c
YOU, suggest that as rapidly as pos.
sible the general conditions of the
permanent population of Hawaii, SC
far as affected by national legisla.
ton, be assimilated to conditions OF
the population of the mainland OF
the United States. Furthermore, tn,
Territory of Hawaii is admirably
adapted to the needs of part OF our
population as a temporary resort
winter or summer. The people oi
Hawaii are entitled to regular ant
frequent means of transportation by
iirst-class steamships to and from oul
mainland. Between the years 1906
and 1906 American steamship com
panies had considerably improved
such facilities, but in 1907 through
the withdrawal of the Oceanic lin,
to Australia and through accidents
to the steamships Mongolia anC
Manchuria those facilities were cur
tailed.
II. II. 1896 in effect proposes t.
open the passenger trade between
Hawaii and the mainland of tn,
United States to the three Japanes,
steamships of the Togo Yusen Kali
sha, which for some years have re-
ceived an annual subsidy OF about
100000 from the Japanese Govern
ment. Before admitting these steam
ships partially to the coastlng trade
which our traditional policy reserves
to American vessels, in my opinion
your committee may wait until thu
disposition of Congress toward thu
ocean-mail bill is more clearly indi
Gated. That bill will not only i'm
| prove transportation facilities 70
the people of Hawaii, but will ais
improve our mail facilities, increas
the force OF American naval auxil
laries on the Pacific, and promot
commerce. If, however, that meas
urc should not pass, it is desirdbl
that Congress should provide othe
improved facilities for the passenge
trade of Hawaii.
Very truly, yours,
OSCAR S. STRAUS,
Secretary.
|
| Anna Gould shut ner Paris hous
| and soripty rumOr saws engaged mas