The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-02-23

slonal measures, including a provision
that appeals and writs of error NAV be
taken to the Supreme Court of the
United States from said district court
IN eases where appeals and writs OF
error are allowed from The district and
circuit courts of the United States to
the Supreme Court. Another amend
ment comprised the limitation that such
appeals may be taken in eases where
the amount involved, exclusive of costs,
exceeds the sum or value of $4,000.
Delegate and Princess Kalanianaole
gave a very beautiful tea on the after
noon of February 9, wnen many promi-
nent Washington people were invited
to meet Queen Liliuokalani 1t was the
first affair Of the kind at which the
Queen has appeared in Washington A
large company came TO pay their re-
spects, including well known friends of
Hawaii in official life here. Mrs.
Hatch, wife of former Judge Hatch.
and Mrs. Dalzell, wife of Representa-
tive Dalzell, of Pennsylvania. presided
at the table where coffee. frappe and
other delieacies were served.
Nothing More For Hawaii.
The Delegate and Mr. Mcclellan
have little hope of accomplishing much
more legislation for Hawaii at the pres
ent session of Congress, outside of some
small matters of appropriations. As
has already been stated in previous let
tiers. the various Hawaiian bills now
pending must nearly all go over to the
next session of Congress, probably to
the long session of Congress next win
ter, as it is not expected now that the
extra session of the spring will deal
with anything except the tariff bin.
The subcommittee of the House Com
mittee on Territories, composed of Rep
resentatives Cole, of Ohio; Higgins, OF
Connecticut; and LLOYD. of Missouri, is
making a careful study of the proposed
amendments of the Organic Act and of
the land laws, but their work is looked
upon as predatory to a consideration Of
the measure at a subsequent session.
The Fortifcations.
The Delegate and Mr.. Mcclellan ex-
pect to appear before the Senate sub
committee that deals with Notifications
and urge larger appropriations so that
: the "fill' near Pearl Harbor can. be
provided for. The Notifications bill
that has been reported to the House
makes provision for about everything
else needed to complete the scheme of
Notifications for Honolulu and Pearl
Harbor. The only exception is that no
appropriations are made for two three
inch and two six-inch guns for Pearl
Harbor. These will not be needed till
the Pearl Harbor work is still further
advanced.
The pending Notifications bill carries
$685., 200 for seacoast batteries IN Ha-
wall, of which $225,000 is for mortars
at Pearl Harbor and $112, 200 for two
six-lnch guns at Waikiki and two three
inch guns at Honolulu to protect the
mine fields for Honolulu s defense. Col
Abbott, of the Engineer Corps os the
Army, said recently that the fortified
tions of Hawaii were even now IN ex
cellent condition against any contln'
gency of war.
The Government s determination to
complete the armament of the Pacific
not only at Hawaii but at Manila and
along the western coast of the United
States, as rapidly as is feasible, is seen
here in many instances. The Naval
appropriation bill, just reported to the
Senate today, provides steps for even
tuallv establishing a big naval base or
the Pacific Coast. presumably some
where in California. A large increase
is also made in the appropriations fol-
the Mare Island navy yard. These pro
visions are looked upon as presagins
the detail of big fleet of battleship:
to the Pacific Ocean in the course of
few years. perhaps in the course of
year or two.
Larger Army Details.
It is also apparent that the army de
tails to Honolulu are to be made OF
increasing Importance and that prob
ably the number of troops there will b.
increased so that in the course of tive
or three years the government may
be keeping four or five regiments o.
regulars on the islands. This is fore
casted by the gossip about making Ha
wall eventually q military department
instead of part of the Department o.
California, having its own commando
an officer of the rank of Major Gen
eral.
The Tariff Situation.
The tariff situation appears to hav'
no developments of particular lnteres
to Hawaii There are no present pros
poets that the duties on sugar will b.
changed, beyond the admission of 300,
900 tons of sugar from the Philippines
The campaigns for and against dut.
on coffee continue fercely but Their
are no special indications as to what tn
final decision of the committee will be
1t is very plain that there is a big an'
carefully organized movement unde
way to prevent lowering of duties
One cry, now being voiced strongly, per
tains to the continued hard times ant