The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-02-11
STRATTON DID
ALL THE FIXING
Pulled Wires to Let Cleveland in
Without CoaStWise
Law PiIikia.

SAN FRANCISCO, February l.
Loud and long are the complaints
from Honolulu, voiced by its people in
general and Collector of Customs
!Stackable in particular, because GER
tain cabin passengers from the globe
circumnavigating steamer Cleveland
could not end their voyage at that port
without payment of 5000 fine head,
while it is generally understood that
no fine will be levied on those landing
as all must-at San Francisco.
Discrimination is the term an.
piled by the islanders to the depart.
ment's action, and they base the claim
on these facts:
First-The law says that a fine Of
500 will be collected for each pas
senger travelling from one part of the
United States to another in a foreign
registered vessel.
Second-That the Cleveland is for
ieign registered steamer of the Ham
burg-American line, and that, there
fore, the coastwise passenger traffic is
applicable. If applicable to Honolulu,
then why not to San Francisco
Treasury Departments Stand.
The Treasury Department admits
that while it cabled Stackable in re-
Spouse to call for instructions that
the 5000 fine a head must be collected
for those leaving the Cleveland at Ho-
nolulu, and that the same ruling would
apply to San Francisco, matters have
come up since which cause change of
front and passengers will be landed at
San Francisco without being fined.
Honolulu claims that it's people are
often put to the Inconvenience of
weeks of delay waiting for an Ameri-
can bottom to bring them to the main
land, for if they take foreign steamer
the 5000 fine is rigidly enforced at San
Francisco; and yet here is the Cleve-
land, a foreign steamer, bringing pas
sengers in fact from New York to San
Francisco and no fine.
Though Collector Stratton will not
say what he told the department nor
what the, department told him, nor
even whether or not fines will be as
sessed, the history of the case and the
known results may explain matters to
Collector Stackable and his people.
Stackable asked for instructions from
the department. The law was clear,
and he was told to collect the fine.
Purpose OF the Law.
Stratton is lawyer. He knew the
law was passed during the Klondike
excitement to keep British steamers
from gobbling the passenger traffic to
Alaska, for with fares at 500 or more
head and only a nominal fine of So
head with the existing law for trav-
cling in foreign vessels from port to
port in the United States, the steam.
ship companies could easily pay the fine
without feeling its effect in their
profits.
Senator George c. Perkins introduced
and carried through the bill rendering
the fine 5000 head and shut out Brit
ish competition.
Deductions point TO the likelihood of
Stratton having called the attention of
the department to the purpose of the
law and the fact that the passengers
were simply debarking here to go to
New York overland, completing their
round the-world trip, suggested that
the purpose of the Jaw would not be
violated by allowing the Cleveland s
six hundred or more passengers TO land
here without mulcting the steamship
company.
This view was accepted by the de.
partment, at least Stratton says his
suggestions were all accepted, and the
steamship company officials say no fines
are to be imposed.
A telegram to the Chronicle from
Frank Clark, the promoter of the tour,
says that Washington has rescinded t"
the fine and that the passengers are
jubilantly anticipating landing here at
six O'Clock Monday morning.