Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-17
DANGEROUS GROUND.

sides and cheap labor have a tremendous ad
vantage over the American shipowner in over
seas competition. He pointed out how tn,
coastwise trade has been given legitimate pro
lection and the immense development nndel
that protection. He said:
The American protective tariff equalizes
conditions and gives fair play to American manu-
facturers and their employees. There is no such
compensation 10 the American shpowner who is
compelled to carry on his business If it is overseas
business conditions of free trade or of worse
than free trade II his British other foreign
petitor is in receipt of subsidy from his govern
ment as
And again he observed:
The magnificent development of American coast
wise shipping, which Is five times the coastwise
shipping OF any other nation and larger than the
whole merchant fleet of Germany or any other nation
except Great Britain. shows OF what American ship
owners, builders and seamen capable when given
fair and equal opportunity. There have been fair
and equal conditions in this coastwise trade Amer
can shipOwners have been able to construct their
ships and employ their crews on an even basis with
out the handicap of competition with the low wage
scale and meaner living conditions OF Europe and
Japan. And there has been no further and over
wheiming handicap from European and Japanese
subsidies and bountes.
Throughout his speech, which occupied sew
eral hours, Senator GalIinger's remarks were
frequently approved by leading Republicans
The ar-Bulletin quotes at this length from
congressional debate for one single purpose
to show how any attempt to amend the coast
wise law in the interests of foreign competition
rs going to be looked upon by the stanch friends
of protection in Congress and the stancl
friends of Hawaii in the sugar tariff fight Oh
course the argument will be made that what il
now proposed in Honoluluis merely an amend
ment to the coastwise law regarding passengers
and does not affect the freighting business
which is by far the larger factor But this dis
tinetion will not be given much consideration
In Congress. The attitude of leading Republic
cans there as Senator Galinger pointed out, il
overwhelmingly against any entering wedge
which void open the coastwise trade to for
eign competition
Senator Gallinger also brings clearly to the
surface the analogy between protection on
shipping and protection on industry-tar
That analogy is bound to be brought up if Ha
wall asks for suspension of the coastwise law
or modification Of the law-and pointed out to
Hawaii's disadvantage.
The Star Bulletin has already said that the
compromise plan offers certain beneficial pos
sibiities, but that it should be the last and moi
the first resort for Hawaii There are other
possibilities which involve no doubtful danger
Gus, Inconsistent fight in favor of foreign com.
petition. Our first resort should be to the
american companies. What will they do fol-
Hawaii Is this passenger congestion so seri
Gus that they cannot overcome it
A suggestion has been made that the Ameri-
can Hawaiian company be approached and
asked TO establish some passenger accommoda
tions on their ships for triangular coast Ha
waii run, If the sugar men of Hawaii would
join in proposing such an arrangement pro
viding the Matson or the Oceanic companies
do not feel able to expand their passenger
facilities-the Amer;can-Hawaiian company
would have to listen, for its prosperity is large
ly built up on Hawaiian sugar freightage.
Honolulu businessmen should pause ere talk
ing suspension of the coastwise law, or decid
ing upon a compromise which necessitates
modification of that law. 1t is trenching upon
dangerous ground.