The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-03-30

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than half Of every year. Reads various
extracts from The Advertiser and the
Star.
We have already shown that through
the increase of travel that would nat
urally follow the American steamships
would be compensated in the operation
Of this law. That IS one of the funda-
mental contentious we MAKE. that the
amount Of traffic now being held back
by lack Of accommodations. and which
would come in under this law, would re-
place any loss to the American steam
ships
Mr.. Humphrey. What is the motive
of the American companies in opposing
this legislation, if they are opposing il ?
Mr.. Mcclellan. I can only surmise.
Mr. Humphrey. Probably they oppose
it in the fear that it will be an opening
wedge to throw down the shipping laws.
That is my conviction of why they
oppose it. I do not believe that the
lines. outside Of the Matson line. can
oppose the legislation in good faith
Mr.. Kahn. Do you not think the
Oceanic people are opposed 70 it in good
faith?
Mr. Mcclellan. 7 think the Oceanic
people are opposed to it, undoubtedly,
but / would say most specifically they
are not opposed to it in good faith.
Any steamship company that viii allow
three vessels to lie idle when there is
traffic waiting to be carried, on the
ground that American vessels can not
compete merely on account Of the cost
of construction. when the vessel is
available without cost. is not acting
in good faith. And | Will state further
to the gentleman from California that
it is well known that in San Francisco,
as the gentleman himself knows the
Spreckels family are now suing John D..
Spreckels claiming in their bill of
equity that he is conspiring to destroy
the value Of that property in withhold
ing those vessels from service. That
suit is in the courts Of San Francisco
now, and it represents a very consider
able feeling among business people that
those vessels are not held up entirely
because of necessity. but partly for the
purposes Of Mr.. Spreckels himself. Why
should the Oceanic boats lie idle and
refuse to enter the Hawaiian trade,
while the Matson company has mean
time built two new American ships that
are profitab!y engaged in that very
traffic?
Mr.. Spight. Is not the Spreckels line
holding those ships back because they
are expecting congress to give them
IN increased subsidy2
Mr.. Humphrey. If that is true. what
made them quit in the first place?
Mr.. Kahn. Do YOU not know, as a
matter Of fact. that the Sierra is now
in the Union Iron Works, being fitted
up at an expense of $4,000 to go
into the Honolulu Tun2
Mr.. Mcclellan. | have heard numer
Gus statements about the Sierra.
Mr.. Kahn. That is a fact, that they
are spending $4,000 on her now.
Mr.. Humphrey. How many of them!
Mr.. Kahn. One on that line. They
tried 10 run her down, and did run
her down number of times, and she
did not pay. and they tied her up. But
now they are trying it again.
Mr.. Mcclellan. The statement has
been made that if the Sierra Is put
into commission she is going to replace
the Alameda In other words, it Will
not give Us an additional steamer, but
larger one.
Mr. Hardy Did You ever hear of
ANYBODY having monopoly being will
ing to let that monopoly be interfered
with?
Mr.. Kahn. There is no monopoly.
Mr. Humphrey. You have an Illus
trat.On right there. where one of the
owners Of these steamships is favoring
this legislation,
Mr. Hardy. That IS an individual
one. I have seen individual men who
did not want the tariff. too.
Mr.. Foulkrod. Did | understand you
TO say there are two lines running?
Mr.. Mcclellan. There are. We dig
Nifty the Oceanic company with the
name of line, though il operates only
enc old 'boat twenty-three years Old,
which has a carrying capacity Of about
100 passengers.
Mr.. Foulkrod. You stated a little
while ago that there was passenger
who waited A wear. and then. after that
waited two months. Was it impossible
for him to get passage!
Mr.. Mcclellan. No. At a certain
time of the year he could Get away
for trip. He could not get passage
the first wear, and then after waiting
thsough till his next vacation. he then
waited two months longer.
Mr.. Foulkrod. He could have gone
within that time: he did not have to
wait fourteen months2
Mr.. Mcclellan. oh. no. He coujd get
passage ut other seasons of the year.
Nh Foukrod That is what ! under
stood You to say.