The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-06-25

I following is an address made by Cap |
tain Robert Dollar at banquet given /
by the local chamber of commerce re-
Gently:
You must all uppreeiate the magni
tude of this subject, and, also, that
the subject is very much bigger than
the capacity of the speaker. The first
thing to consider is our treaty with
Great Britain commonly called "The
Hay Pauneefote Treaty. which by
virtue of the most favored nation
clause makes il in reality binding on
us to the nations of the world.
This treaty in honor and justice
we must carry out in both letter and
spirit Amongst other things, it pro-
vides that in the levying of tolls we
will treat all ships alike, and there
shall be no discrimination against any
nation or its citizens or subjects in
respect of the conditions or changes
of traffic or otherwise. AS to our
charging our American ships engaged
in the foreign trade the same tolls
as all the ships of other nations, there
can be no question, and it must be
, done, as we have agreed to do it, and
| think that part of the subject should
end right here. But our ships engaged
in the coastwse trade carrying pas
, sengers and freight from one Ameri-
: On port to another is an entirely
different proposition. No persons
were better informed than the able
. and distinguished men who negotia-
ted that treaty as to the laws and
regulations of the United States in
absolutely reserving to our own citi-
. zens the full and executive right to
: engage in interstate or eoastwise
e commerce. so that the interfering with
those rights never entered the mind of
Mr.. Pauncefote, and as to the big,
broad.minded Mr.. Hay ever even
}. thinking or considering the giving
J. to foreign powers the right to say
i, what we shall charge our own ships
y engaged in the interstate commerce,
1 is unthinkable, as no frst-class ma
j. ton will permit any other nation to
dictate on what terms or conditions
it shall carry on its own internal COM
J. merce. That is the letter of the law,
2. but what of the spirit7
10 We charge all vessels engaged in
the foreign trade the same rate, and
o to all vessels engaged in the coast
wise trade of the United States, we
n purpose to permit them to pass
through free of tolls, and inasmuch
j. as no vessels can engage in the Amer.
lie lean coastwise trade except those fly
If ing the American flag, there cannot
- be any discrimination. There was a
3 law on our statute books when this
treaty was signed whereby we could
r. not charge any tolls on any canal
n locks or improved rivers to facilitate
trade between States. This law APP
le plies to foreign as well as American
" ships. Furthermore, seeing that all
-
/, is American money and the stockhold
u ers are the American people, the
is question of our not treating every
ar be the greatest benefciaries. l have
given this matter considerable
. thought and the conclusion / have
~ come to is that the greatest benefit
is will come to the continent of America
h. in general, and the United States il
particular. Looking at it from al
viewpoints, the United States will
gain the most. The increase and de
velopment in the commerce between
the East and West coasts and vice
versa will be very great and L thinl
will exceed our most sanguine expec
- tations.
| Immigration.
] One of the first direct benefits WI
will receive will be immigrants tt
fill up our vacant lands and increase
our manufactures which we so mucl
70 need. The immigrant rates to thi
! coast will only be slightly in excess
= of the present rate to New York, 81
~ we should receive a very large mum
40 Der who would otherwise go to New
ol York. The greater the number W,
ld can get, means greater exports o
our products. Therefore, greatly in
Is, creased commerce.
ne The railroads, aided by the Pacii,
Mail, are using every effort to ge
mt high tolls put on our coastwise yes
tn sells, thing the great increase o
lie, water borne traffic will hurt them
ID In this they are mistaken, as be
tn lieve that traffic will increase al
nd along the line, so that it will TIA
at. nation fairly cannot be successfully
yn questioned. The stockholders are tn
IA only ones who could raise any ques
nj. ton, and as the increase in our inter
mt state commerce effects the whole na
IN ton, that I think disposes of tn
: question as far as the Americans ar
~ concerned.
~ AS to the passing of American vei
seis engaged in coastwise traffic fire.
r. of tolls, while in Washington recent
iee found that many congressme
= looked on the passing OF our Vessel
hg free was in the nature of a subsid
err FOR tbe beneft of the sbinowners an
we not for the public. No matter wha
ed, tolls are charged, the shipownel
must make the public pay. For e,
led ample if fair living rate to carr
merchandise from New York to Sa
re- Francisco was $1.O0 per ton and thel
it were no tolls, the rate to the publ
would be $500, but if congress levie
toll of $1.0O then the public mui
pay $500, or the tolls were $500, the