The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-09-07

cent. Of the whole. In 1890, 76 per
cent. were American. The reduced
number in 1899 was simply because
,here were not enough ships flying the
American flag to take care of the com.
merce. In 1900 the Organic Act ex.
cluded foreign vessels from carrying
freight and passengers between Hawaii
and the mainland. Since then Amer
lean shipping has only increased TO SO
per cent. So far as freight carrying
is concerned rates are reasonable and
facilities are adequate. We have one
small pilikia in connection with fruit,
and that is in connection with fruit
carrying. When our pineapples ripen,
they ripen with rush. They do not
ripen on steamer schedule, and then
there are not enough American YES
sells to carry the product to the main
land. We would be greatly bene-
iited if we could ship fresh fruit on
foreign vessels as well as domestic.
Now, as to passenger traffic. I
had handed me Just before l came in
here letter from a gentleman in San
Francisco to Honolulu firm concern
ing man who had engaged to come
here, to keep n business engagement
:
Alameda as her accommodations were
all taken before she had arrived; that
he had applied to three vessels ahead,
the China, the Manchuria and the Lur-
line; but they were all booked full
with waiting list ahead, and they
do not know when he can get here.
we have been advertising this
country as tourist resort. We be-
lieve it will benefit the people of the
mainland to come here, for health,
pleasure and profit; but tourists can
not get here unless there are ships to
come on. Here are four American
ships already booked full, and more
people wanting TO come who can't,
and at the same time there are big
steamers Of 10000 tons with plenty of
room, sailing practically empty-Japa-
nese vessels and fine English steamers,
but if one travels on one of those
boats he must pay 5000 fne.'i
The speaker referred to Congress
man Webb and former Secretary
Straus. travelling from Honolulu to
San Francisco last year on foreign
vessel with his entire family, and pay
ing fines amounting to $500.
"This is the slack tourist season.
continued Mr.. Thurston, "but when
the Congressional party came here
three big Congressman had to be
crowded into one little room laugh
teri, and Mr.. McLachlan tells me there
were fifty more people left in San
Francisco who wanted to come on the
same steamer with you.
"What do we want donei Do we
Al 1n, nha
don t think you will find anybody here
who will ask to have it abolished en-
tirely. We want American shipping
developed, for we depend upon ship.
ping more than any other portion of
the Union, and if the United States
should go to war we realize that it is
upon American ships that we would
have to depend. Consequently we want
to 90 slow about abolishing the coast
wise laws.
"As a matter of fact, it is not coast
wise travelling to come over here to
Honolulu from San Francisco any more
than it is international travel to go
from New York to Boston by steamer.
'Coastwise' means along the coast. Ha-
waii is 1000 miles distant from the
coast, at right angles to it. What is
the remedyi A ship subsidy, to GER
tain extent. A ship subsidy will at
least retain the ships now running here,
and | greatly fear that without ship
subsidy the Pacific Mail Company will
be compelled to withdraw some of its
steamers if business is not better with
them. Perhaps Mr.. Schwerin does look
at the dark side of things sometimes,
but | have seen the balance sheet of the
company, showing that many trips are
maze at dead loss. The company
went astern nearly million dollars
last year, and even Hartman could not
stand a steady diet like that
"lf the Pacific Mail ships are with
drawn, we will have to depend on the
one Oceanic boat and the small Matson
steamers, and then what will another
/ Congressional party do to get herei
They may have to sleep out on the
decks. Meanwhile, we feel no certain
ty of a subsidy being granted. We
have seen the President and influential
men in Congress supporting ship sub
sidy measure for many years, and it
goes down every session. Meanwhile,
we are left in situation which is be-
coming more and more aggravated.
"What we have asked in the past
and what we ask now is that American
shipping be protected, but until Amer
lean shipping develops enough we ask
that the eoastwise laws be suspended
and foreign steamers be allowed to
carry the surplus of passengers which
American ships can not carry until the
solution of the problem is worked out.
"This will be entirely according to
precedent. The coastwise law was ex.
tended by law to the Philippines about
the same time that it was to Hawaii;
but the manifest impossibility of
American ships performing the service
has caused Congress to suspend the op-
Grafton of the law again and again, and
! the last Congress suspended it indef-
nitely.
"We ask for as fair treatment as has
been given the Philippines. Work the
great shipping question out as seems
best; but meantime let us travel 10 the
United States and people from the
mainland come here while the problem
is being solved.p