The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-25
HOSMER'S ADDRESS AT
THE IRRIGATION CONGRESS
CompIimented by f. h. Newell and Other
Officers for the Argument lie Presented
Prospects of Hawaii Are improving.

ton of this area over S15,000,000 has
altogether been expended, wholly by
private enterprise. The results justify
the outlay. But they do more. They
point the way to a solution of some Of
the problems that now press for settle
ment in Hawaii. Efficiently to fulfill
its mission as an outpost of American
civilization the Hawaiian Islands must
be thoroughly Americanized. Much
has already been done. The achieve
ment of the little band of Americans
who in the last ninety years have
brought to Hawaii civilization, eduea-
ton and commercial prosperity is rec
be proud. Even before annexation
much had been done to develop Hawaii
along traditional American lines, but
not until there is resident white pop
ulation numerically sufficient to con-
troll the local situation can Hawaii take
the place that she ought to play in the
developing destiny of the nation. The
way to get such an increase of desir-
able citizens is through irrigation, the
making possible of homes through the
reclamation of land at present I'M
productive--in short. the extension to
Hawaii of the benefits of the Federal
Reclamation Act.
And why is Hawaii entitled to such
considerations 1t is not for the sake
of the Territory alone that the claim
is made. although of course the benefits
will at first be local, but because it is
essential to the welfare of the whole
nation, both from military and a
commercial standpoint that Hawaii
continue to develop as strong,
vigorous and self-reliant American
community.
Let me make clear why this is so.
The geographical position of the Ha-
waiian Islands gives the Territory an
Importance out of all proportion to its
area or population. Lying as the is
lands do, in the center of the Pacific,
2100 miles southwest of San Francisco
Hawaii is the only land from which a
hostile fleet could menace our wester Il
coast. 1t is the only land which a
foreign enemy could use as an effec tive
base in offensive operations, for the
eoaling capacity of even the largest
modern warships is not sufficient to
enable a fleet to come from the next
nearest possible station, strike and get
back again. The strategic value OF
Hawaii to the nation is of such cru
cial Importance that it can hardly be
overestimated. Strongly fortified and
held as naval base by the United
States, Hawaii at once practically safe
guards the entire west coast from San
j Diego to Puget Sound, and gives us
besides the unique advantage of being
able to dominate the Pacific CONNER.
eially.
The advantages of Hawaii IS position
are quite as great from commercial
as from naval standpoint. The vast
ness of the Pacific makes a half way
station almost indispensable. The large
steamers by there replenishing their
supply of fuel can devote more of Their
space to valuable freight. Hawaii is
more and more becoming a port of call
for orders, supplies and repairs, and
transpaeifc traffic is now but a 1.-THE
of what it will be when the Panama
Canal is completed In these and other
ways Hawaii is a link in the chain
that is being forged whereby Amer.
lea is to control the Pacific link
held on one side by the "open door
IN China, on The other by the Panama
Canal and the deepening of Mississip-
pl Valley and Atlantic Coast water
ways. For the fiscal year ending June
80, 1908, the tonnage of the vessels en-
tering and clearing from Hawaii ports
aggregated over two million tons.
Three-fourths were of American regis
ter. Hawaii s imports and exports
amount to over $60,000,00O a year, of
which 80 per cent is carried in Amer
lean bottoms. They are greater than
were those of the entire United States
at the time of the adoption of the Com
stitution. Even before annexation
Hawaii, while still an independent
nation, furnished more freight for
American vessels than any other for
eign country.
Then, too, Hawaii has great posi-
bilities as distributing Point for the
whole Pacific, and even as manufact-
uring center, if the experience of the
Honolulu Iron Works in supplying
fully equipped sugar mills to various
parts of the world may be taken as
an index
The Pacific arena is to be the great
est theater of commerce that the world
has ever seen. America is in a posi-
ton TO exercise supremacy in this field
of endeavor. If the nation remains
ture TO is past there can be but one
outcome. In the control of the Pacific
there are three focal points: % the
Isthmian Canal, 90 China, whose ter.
rltorial integrity and open door are the
direct result of American influence
and (3)Hawaii, an American territory
lying at the Crossroads of the Pacific
the only land there is in a vast ex
panse of ocean that can possibly be
used for offense or defense, naval OF
commercial, the key to the situation.
But that the nation may make tht
most of these natural advantages pos
sessed by Hawaii it is necessary thai
there be on the islands an aggressive
self-reliant American community o
sufficient numerical size to control tn.
local situation. Such a population
imbued with the ideals of democrati,
government can only be got by bring
ing white men onto the land as per
manent settlers. There are in Hawai-
considerable areas of public land tina
with irrigation can be made available
for settlement Mr. Newell estimate
that there are over 100000 acres, cap
able of supporting 5000 families Thi