The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-07-11
MISREPRESENTATION
WITH An Object
COAST PArrR pErBfTDa THE
EXISTING uoAsrwIsn
SHIPPING LAW.

The Honolulu hotel keepers, livery
siablomen, saloon keepers and others
who live on the visiting tourist, have
again conttived 90 got before congress
a request for the suspension Of the
eoastwive chipping law between here
and Honolulu In 30 far az Il Affects pas.
senger travel, says the San Francisco
CALI in an article which will amaze Ha.
waiian readers The Call continues: The
bin, No. ll6ls, has just been introduced
in the committee on marine and fsh
cries, II calls for the suspension Of the
coastwiso shipping law for six years.
The coastwise shipping law provides
that only American ships may trade be.
tween American ports. This law gives
the American merchant marine the only
protection it has from the competition
of bounty fed foreigners. The ground
on which the suspension is asked is
that the American passenger ships now
running regularly between here and
Honolulu do not provide adequate &C.
commodations for the travel What
those behind the bin really want is to
give the Japanese lines the right to
carry passengers between Honolulu and
the Coast. The really representative
businessmen of Hawaii are said to be
opposed to any s1ch letting down of
the bars. The men behind the measure
are the hotel keepers, livery stable
keepers, saloon keepers and others who
make their living by exploiting the
tourist.
Japs Have Own Law.
While these Honolulu people are try
ing to present the Japanese lines with
a business that has been blilt up en-
tirely by American enterprise and cap
ital, the Japanese government has just
passed coastwise shipping law Of its
own to protect the Mikado' Is merchant
marine from outside competition.
American ship owners on this Coast
are preparing to oppose the bill by
showing that the facilities already in
existence are more than sufficient to
handle the passenger travel. They are
also prepared to show that the passing
of the bill would have the effect of
reducing rather than increasing the
present transportation facilities. They
have figures to show that the supply
of transportation has always exceeded
the demand. The chamber of com
merce has cabled to Honolulu a protest
against revival of the agitation and
has sent to Washington strong argl.
ment against such legislation.
, The records of the local steamship
companies show that during 1910 not
single applicant for passage either
hero or at Honolulu was refused ae
conmodatioEs. The records show that
in 1910 the Pacific Mail Company haC
1850 unused berths on sailings from
Honolulu for San Francisco, the Oceanic
Company 1,4S5 unused berths and the
Matson line /, $40 unused berths. From
San Francisco to Honolulu during the
} same period the Pacific Maid had 1874
{ unused berths, the Oceanic 1923 anC
D the Msrson line l,715-
Ship owners Build 1rafhc.
That the passenger business between
, here and Honolulu is heavy is admitte,
by the ship owners, whs also contend
, that its present volume US due largely
Z to the enormous sums of money spen
l ifby them in advertising Hawaii and il
a providing fast and unanimously appoint
' ed steamships. They have built up Ho
Q nolild's tourist trade and regard thu
D continued agitation fer the removal O.
the protection that HAS made this pos
q ssible as a species of base iingratitude.
n Uhe local ship owners believe thai
I amy suspension Of tine CGoastwise ship
: lIiimg law between hsBe and HOnolJ III
: would throw all the passenger business
/ into foreign hands. The first manifesta
ttion of dissatisfaction with the servic
" contributed by the American lines fol
nDwed the appearance on the run be
tween here and the Orient of the JaI
sRnese liners Tenyo Maru and Ch5y
Maru. A third ship, built on the sam
Ipalatial lines, VIII he in commissiO
4 within few months. The Japanes
lime will then have three large and tHR
, smaller steamers running between hsH
and Honolulu.
The japanese line, being heavily sal
t sidized, could afford to out the rate be
tween here and Honolulu in half il Civ
an the privilege of carrying local pas
seDgers, and the American ship owner
believe that it would only be questis,
s of few months before the Japapes
d would have a practical monopoly a
Q the passenger Business.
OIL Honolulu IDEA False.
The Honolulu idea Is that a suspez
! sion of the coastwiAe shipping Law
! would give travellers 10 and from tn
! Islands the Japanese ships in addition
to the American ships already on tn
run. The American ships are alread,
= ! able TO take care Of a larger bushes
= in this field than they have yet beel
: offered Japanese competition would 8
reduce the number Of passengers ear
ried on the local vessels that Their
would not be sufficient business to jus
tify the American lines operating cost
ly, high powered passenger steamship
on this run
The result would be that the Ameri
nan Iinaa .ro..ld dauota thaInaaI.aa az.