The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-05-14
Internal Revenue Collector.


The nomination Of a new collector
of internal revenue for Hawaii is eX
pected here before long. The treasury
department IS dissatisfied apparently
with Collector Drake. although an in
spector who was in Honolulu some time
ago reported that the funds of the Office
were all in the safe or properly ac-
counted for The gist of the complaint
seems to be that Mr.. Drake has been
unduly diIatory in rendering his ac-
counts.
Neither the National Committeeman
nor Governor Frear has been heard
from regarding Mr.. brakes successor.
Recommendation have come to the
Delegate for W. H. Goetz and Carl
Widemann The Delegate Is inclined
to favor the nomination of Mr.. Wide
mann. NALkkR.
Debate in House.
The debate over the extension of the
interstate commerce commission, as re-
ported in the Congressional Record,
was:
Mr. Good-Mr. Chairman, I desire to
offer an amendment.
The Chairman-The gentleman from
Iowa Mr.. Good offers an amendment
which the clerk viii report.
The clerk read as follows:
Change the period after the word
"country,' In line s, page 46, to
a semicolon, and add the follow
ing:
"And also to any common car
riers engaged in the transportation
of passengers or property by water
from one place in the Territory of
Hawaii to another place in the
same Territory.'
The Chairman-The question is on
agreeing to the amendment.
Mr. Mann-Mr. Chairman, I would
like to have the gentleman explain the
reason for this. Let me state to the
committee that this amendment offered
by, the gentleman from Iowa Mr..
Good proposes to place under the con
troll of the interstate commerce commits
sion water transportation IN the Ter
ritory of Hawaii. | am not familiar
enough with the circumstances to form
an intelligent Judgment upon the ques-
ton. Doubtless their water transporta-
ton needs some regulation. 1t is, how
ever, a long ways from Washington to
obtain information or ruling in refer
ence to the water spOrtation of Ha-
wall. MANY members of this house
have been in Hawaii and are much bet
ter able to form a proper Judgment in
reference to this than | am. | simply
call the attention of the house to the
proposition, and hope that they will
give marked attention to the gentleman
from Iowa when he gives the reasons
for this.
Mr.. Good-The chairman of the com
mittee has correctly stated the object
and purpose of this amendment. 1t is
to extend the provisions of this act so
that the interstate commerce commits
sion shall have control of the regulation
of the water transportation in the Ter
ritorv of Hawaii. And | might add
that the water transportation in the
Territory of Hawaii is no farther re-
moved from the interstate commerce
commission than is the transportation
by railroad in the Territory of Hawaii,
and that transportation is by the pres
emit law under the control and regula-
tion Of the interstate commerce commits
sion. The operation of the interstate
commerce commission, so far as rate
regulation in said Territory is con
cerned, has been so perfect that the
transportation by railroads is as low
there as it is in any State of the Union
The railroads receive but two cents a
mile for carrying passengers. The
great bulk of the transporta ton in the
Territory, however, is by water from
one island to another. There is but one
company engaged in that transporta-
ton, and while, as | said before, the
charge for transportation by railroads
in that Territory is but two cents a
mile, the charge for transportation by
water between the various islands is in
excess of twelve cents per mile
This excessive fare is charged by the
steamship company is because Of the
fact that there IS no regulation at all,
There is but one company engaged in
carrying all the interisland transporta-
ton. and it has virtually a monopoly.
1t charges all the traffic viii stand, and
it viii stand all the company desires
to charge. Because of the isolated con
ditiOn Of the islands considerable trav
cling is necessary, and there is but one
company engaged in this business
Hence they are charging from twelve
to fifteen cents per mile for transporta-
ton for each person. The freight
charges from Honolulu to lilo, a dis
lance Of about t25 miles, are the same
as are the freight charges from Homo
lulu to San Francisco, a distance Of
200 miles. Somebody ought to regu-
late the fares and charges charged by
this steamship company.
Mr.. kahn-Is the gentleman aware
that this bin specifically eXempts from
its provisions the porttoport carrying
business of vessels of this country!