The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-09-17
IS
FAVORED BY
WOODWARD
CFrom Thursdays Advertiser.)

am moIe convinced tnan ever
that the coastwise shipping law should
be suspended, at least temporarily, with
reference to the Hawaiian Islands, -
said Representative woodward of West
Virginia yesterday.
Mr.. woodward had Just finished read
ing of the family war between the
sons of the late Claus Spreckels. in the
! Chronicle of September 5, wherein il
is alleged that the three American
built, American.owned and American
tagged steamships, Sierra, Sonoma and
Ventura, of the Oceanic steamship
line, are being held idle in San Fran
cisco bay, that the bonds of the
Oceanic company may depreciate, so
that John D. Spreckels may gain the
control at the minimum of cost. Mr..
woodward read the following items
from the Chronicle IS account:
Gross Neglect Asserted.
1t is charged that through the gross
neglect of John D. Spreckels and 9th
ers in control of the Oceanic Companv
! three of the ships of the corporation ;s
| heet-the Ventura, Sierra and Sopoma
valued at $2,771 ,000s-have been allow
ed to lie idle in the harbor at great ex
pense as part of plan 20 deprecate
the value of the company's securities.
and that one of the vessels, the Aus
! tralia, valued at 100000, was seized
during the Russo-Japanese War for ear
rying contraband.
The plaintiffs also complain that the
| annual net income of $1,000 secured
from the operations OF the Alameda
and Mariposa has not been devoted
TO the redemption of bonds as pro
Vlded for in the mortgage and trust
agreement, but has been diverted TO
the settlement of the alleged claims of
the John ID. Spreckels G. Brothers Com
pany, and "to the payment of con-
trlbutlons amounting to many thou
sands of dollars for lobbying purposes
and other illegal and unauthorized ex
penses.''
The allegations of the lengthy docu-
ment are concluded as follows:
Plaintiffs aver that the said
Oceanic Steamship Company, said John
ID. Spreckels, said Adolph Spreckels.
said John d. Spreckels & Brothers Com
pany, and said Union Trust Company.
SAID trustee, have conspired together.
and are acting in collusion for the
purpose of depreciating the value of
said outstanding bonds and enabling
the said John ID. Spreckels and Adolph
Spreckels to acquire all outstanding
bonds of said Oceanic Steamship Com
pany at prices far below their actual
value.''
1t is pointed out that the value of
the bonds has already been deprecated
to approximately $4S7, their face value
being $1,000.
The complaint asks for the removal
of the Union Trust Company as trustee
for violation of its trust, and the an
pointment of new trustee by the
court instead of by the majority stock
holders of the steamship company,
John d. and Adolph Spreekels.
Burning Both Ends of Candle.
cit looks to me like burning a
candle at both ends,' added Mr.. Wood
yard. First, the allegation is made
that there is a conspiracy to depre-
ciate the value of the bonds to benefit
some one. Then it is asserted that
some one contributes to a lobbying
fund, presumably to fight for ship
subsidy. That's working both ends
to gain something, and yet those three
steamships, built in American vnr,!s
and flying the American flag, are kept
idle, while there is so much talk about
the need of more passenger accommoda-
tions between the coast and Honolulu.
81 don't know what they mean by
lobbying, and fund for lobbying,
but If it is in the interest of a shin
subsidy, then they had better put those
three vessels into commission
81 had little knowledge of the
coastwise shipping law. l supposed,
when | came along to the Pacific coast,
that all you had to do was to step
aboard the next steamer bound for
Honolulu and the Orient, just as you
would do mt New York city to 90 to
Europe. l imagine that, TO man of
moderate means, delays while waiting
for boat with an American flag
would be costly. You are trying TO
bring people here, and they should be
allowed to travel on the boats which
touch here. / can easily see the diff
ficulties facing would-be travellers.
81 believe that the suspension of
the coastwise law would be a good
thing, leaving the power in the hands
of the Executive to reestablish the
law, should conditions so shape Them
selves that American shipping inter-
ests provide adequate passenger facil-
HiNH " iahc Nalt VI Tue Duhlntss.
eyes, even the suggestion of tax
upon the ticket purchased for passage
ON foreign steamship of say $25
would help matters OUT
OcOSosOsosOcocOso.OoOcoSO
most Of them haye-are eager to visit
the institutions.
The hour of starting has been
changed from 10 o'clock to $3.50 sharp,
ON account Of the fact that the own
ers Of the automobiles in which the
visitors are to ride want them in the
afternoon to go TO the polo game,
Saw Bonine Pictures,
The members Of the Congressional
party were given a private Wow in
the Alexander Young Hotel ballroom
asi evening of expert BONNIE moy,
ing pictures of tho Settlement aud
other island scenes which are now be,
ing used on the mainland as adyeris
mn mudumH for the lramotinu Inu,