The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-01-22
WHAT A TOURIST SAYS.

''I am certainly in favor of the sus-
pension of the shipping laws, so far as
| am acquainted with the facts of the
controversy that now seems to be pend,
ing said c.. w. Buck, a prominent
capitalist of San Francisco, who is now
stopping at the Moana Hotel. Mr.. Buck
came down here with George Bachelor,
the California attorney who has inter.
ests in the Rapid Transit company. He
will remain here for month or so, or
until he gets "tired of the place, +" as
he puts it.
"The lack of suitable transportation
facilities between here and the main,
land was impressed upon me first when
found out that. if the whole party
which had intended coming with me
had shown up, there would have been
no room for them on the steamer. Some
friends of mine were coming here from
Chicago,-that is, they were coming to
San Francisco, and then on to Honolulu,
but they were unable to make the trip
and consequently only my Western par
ty was able to secure transportation
on the Siberia.
''To get the tourist traffic here, it is
certain that you must have transporta-
ton facilities. i was struck by the fact
that so little apparent advertising of
this place as tourist resort is done
in the United States. j knew very lit
tie about Hawaii before | came down,
and | have lived on the Coast for a
good many years. One of the best adj
vertising assets that you could have
would be commodious steamship facil-
tiles. Look at the way the railroad
magnates built up the West. They ad.
vertised the West, they boosted, and
they kept at it all the time. The same
proposition would work here with the
steamship lines.
81 know that my case, in which /
was unable to get accommodations Tor
my whole party, is minor considera,
ton, and as | haven't gone into the
matter carefully, / don't want to be
quoted as taking sides in the question
of merchant marine. But / also know
that it would certainly bring the Islands
into the public eye, that it would be
great inducement for people to come
here, and that it would, in way, helT
to make the Islands more Amercanized
if the transportation facilities were ade
quate. And | can see how the suspen
sion of the Coastwise Shipping Ian
would bring about this desirable object
The shipping law. protecting the Amer
lean merchant marine, was not devised
for this place, three thousand mile
from the mainland. 1t was meant t,
be, and it is, in effect along the rea
coasts, the Atlantic as well as the Pa
cific. Hawaii, the Crossroads of tn
Pacific, as you say, doesn't want thi
law foisted upon her, if ! understan,
, the situation correctly.
Hawaii could have one out of ever,
ten people who come to California iron
the East, believe, if the proper aqver
Using methods were pursued on tn
mainland. The American of today ha
!, money and he wants to spend it. II
would a great deal rather come to Ha
wall, if the attractiveness of the plac
. were once pointed out to him, than h
would to go to Cuba. And agree wit
you that one of the essential ways o
securing the advertising you deserve
to have good steamer accommodation
always. This place is ideal; / neve
: dreamed of the beauties that are her,
] was surprised at the number of spler
did mansions in Honolulu. and ] wa
: also surprised at the area of the towI
have Travelled 1874 miles within tn
last few days without leaving the tow
: or going over the same track. This
4 according to the speedometer on m
4 machine. Honolulu, it seems to me,
. getting lots of tourists, but she has tn
J right idea when she goes after more
Never be satisfied with share of th
trade. Get as much as you can-fo
you deserve it. And, as | see the ma
ter. one of the best ways to accomplis
this end is to suspend the Coastwis
! Shipping laws.