The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-06-10

u
now in progress"
Developments Is Inevitable.
The speaker then gave brief resume
of the development Of the commerce
and steamship business of the Terri
tory, from the early 70s, when one tub
of a steamer was run by the govern
meBt at an annual loss and while all
the sugar was shipped via Honolulu,
where all exports and imports were also
made. Development in transportation
rapidly followed the Reciprocity Treaty
and Honolulu prospered. When Kahu.
lui began to ship sugar direct to the
Coast and to import for itself, the
steamship owners, then operating there,
thought they were ruined, and Homo
lulu business men thought they would
lose business. But the result was that
Maui so prospered that the steamers
did more business than ever, and Homo
lulu had a better customer than be-
fore.
Development at Hilo.
The same story is true of Hilo. All
the Hilo and Hamakua sugar used to
come to Honolulu at high rates. Now
it is nearly all shipped direct at low
rates, while Hilo imports more mer-
chandise than Honolulu did twenty.
five years ago; but Honolulu Is business
with Hilo has increased many fold,
while the Inter-Island company is max
ing more money than ever before in
its history, and has had to put on the
splendid steamer Mauna Kea.
More Bouquets for Inter-Island.
"By the way, I want to further ex.
press my, appreciation of the progress
sive enterprise of the Inter-Island COM
pany. They have put on a steamer
that, to my notion, is as comfortable
as the Mongolia and, if any of you
have not yet sailed on the Mauna Kea,
you have a treat in store. will tell
you something further illustrating the
liberal spirit Of the Inter-Island.
"In 1890, 1 organized the Volcano
House Company and erected the main
hotel, taking the place of six-room
house. The Inter-Island took stock in
the company. 1t did not pay expenses
and for seventeen years the Inter
Island company contributed from six
to ten dollars out of every volcano
ticket to help keep that company on
it's feet for the benefit of this commu-
nifty. Tt was only three years ago
when the Volcano House Company got
ON its feet that the InterTsland COM
pany discontinued paying this subsidy
to the Volcano company.
Immense Possibilities of Hawaii.
fThe reason why I claim that the
interests of the Hilo Railroad and the
Inter-Island company are not hostile to
each other, but supplementary one of
the other, is that the internal resources
of the Island of Hawaii have not been
more than scratched. These resources
can only be reached and developed by
railroads. Tt costs twice as much now
to get produce from the interior OF
Hawaii to the Coast as it does to bring
the same article from San Francisco to
Honolulu, and the rate from Hawaii
to Honolulu is as high as from San
Francisco.
tfThere is ten times as much un-
developed land on Hawaii as on all the
other islands put together. The great
Waimea plain contains 10000 acres Of
the finest agricultural land now used
for herds cattle. 1t is all capable of
being developed as agricultural land.
There are blocks of land all around
Hawaii, all of which will continue to
be undeveloped unless they are opened
up by railroads. Steamers can not do
ally the railroad will take away some
of the business which the Inter-Island
is now doing along the coast, but like
the opening of Kahului, and Hilo and
the other island ports to direct ship.
ment, it will eventually, and I believe
speedily, so increase the general bust
ness of Hawaii that the Inter-Island
viii do greater business than ever.
We do not realize what it will mean
to this business community to have Ha-
waii developed and furnishing the i'm
mense amount of produce that is now
imported from abroad.
Railroad, Steamer and Public Interests
Are Identical.
"Such development will be equally
beneficial to the railroad, the Inter
Island and the general public.
81 expect to have more to do with
the active management of the Hilo
Railroad in the near future than have
in the past, and 1 shall study the ques-
tion of how the railroad can best assist
in the developing of the island.
"The only real, ultimate difference
that can possibly foresee between the
two companies is one of policy, as to
whether rates should be kept high OF
reduced to such a scale that they will
create business. I shall be glad to take
up with the Inter-Island the problem
Of giving a through rate from the in
terror of Hawaii to Honolulu at low
enough figure to enable the producer to
compete successfully with producers
across the Pacific.
whether the Inter-Island win agree
in this policy do not know.
The Public Viewpoint.
$50 much for the relations of the
Inter-Island and the Hilo Railroad.
"There remains to be considered
what the public interest in this ques-
ton is.
at is proposed to extend the juris-
diction of the interstate commerce com
mission to include the water transporta-
ton companies. 1t was extended to the
island railroads several years ago. This
is objected to by the Inter-Island com
pany.
"Why do they objeetG What ills
will they suffer7 What disadvantages
a. - I 4