The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-31
HAWAII At
WASHINGTON
Various Matters There Which
Bear on the Island
interests.
BY Ernest G. Walker.

Mail Special to the Advertiser.)
WASHINGTON, January IL de-
layed in Transmission).-Th is dis
appointment here among the friends of
Hawaii because OF the decision in Con-
gress to have no river and harbor bill
at this session. Senator Frye, chairman
posed it; so has Representative Burton,
chairman of the corresponding House
committee. There are several reasons
for the decision. One is the lack of
public funds in the treasury. Another
is aversion to enacting a river and har-
Dor bill at a short session of Congress.
There are two disadvantages. One is
that the work must be done rapidly
and therefore with less deliberation.
1t is easier to get jobs into river and
harbor bill at the short session. Then
ator to talk the bill to death If it con-
tains provisions displeasing to him.
The work of framing tariff bill is
proceeding. Little is known yet as to
what will happen with the sugar SEIZED.
ule and the fruit schedules in which
Hawaii is interested. There is also
much uncertainty about the proposed
duty on coffee. The opposition is quite
strong, on political grounds. 1t is
claimed that the duty would undoubt-
eddy raise the price of coffee for
while, although the price might be ad-
justed in the course of two or three
years. In the meantime it would be a
good handle for the Democrats in CAM
paigns for the reelection of Congress
men. If there is to be a duty on coffee
| it will probably be an advalorem in
| stead of specific duty, as it is claim
ed q. specific duty would bear alike
upon the cheaper and the higher priced
grades.
The circuit judges, nominated before
the holidays, have been confirmed with
out opposition, ard their commissions
/ are understood to be on the way to
| Hotaaialu.3
| agate Kalanianaole has introduced
| L. bill TO extend the provisions of the
reclamation law TO Hawaii. He has ar
| ranged for Director Newell of the Re-
| clamation Service to appear in behalf
| of the measure before the Committee
ON the Irrigation Of Arid Lands.
| The Delegate has also drafted an
amendment to the Hawaiian land bill
for the purpose of restricting the ex-
change of lands. It provides that not
more than ten acres or land not tc
exceed in value $4,000 shall be ex-
| changed with one individual, unless the
exchange is approved by thirds of
a board of advisers, which is provided
for in the general bill and which is to
be designated by the Territorial Legis-
| lature.
The Delegate and Mr.. George B. Nc
| ClelIan have been to see Postmaster
General Meyer about the exclusion of
Hawaii from the provisions of the new
postal treaty with Great Britain by
which letters are carried across the At
| Iantic for two cents. They were as
| sured that there was no intention to
| discriminate against Hawaii as pos
| session Of the United States. The adj
ministrative authorities of the depart
ment do not refer to Hawaii in those
| terms, but simply as a Territory of the
| United States. The Postmaster General
said he had found it impossible to get
| the treaty through other than on the
terms negotiated, but promised to see
whether supplementary treaty could
not be framed extending the privilege
of lower postage to the Islands.
| The Delegate and Mr.. Mcclellan
have also called upon Assistant Secre-
tary of the Treasury Beekman Win
throp regarding the authorization of
| competition for the plans of the Homo
| lulu public building. Mr. Winthrop is
| disgruntled because his arrangements
for changing the site of the public
building fell through. The matter,
therefore, will be taken up with Secre-
tary cortelyou and Secretary Garfield
The Queen is soon to issue a state
ment to the newspapers, explaining her
claim now pending before Congress.
This will be preliminary to efforts to
press the legislation in Senate and
| House.