Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-19
that the matter was not a fictitious


one. 81
Cries of Question, question" inter
rupted him, and he sat down. A vote
which was taken Immediately passed
4 Mr.. Shingles motion. unanimously.
Then L. Tenney Peck offered the
/ idea that il might be good thing to
I take up the matter of Accommodations
on the local boats from a business
/ like standpoint, before an attempt was
made to injure them by the adoption
OF a resolution He accordingly made
| a motion TO that effect II was this
| motion that carried by vote of SO TO
6. His resolution followed immediate
ly and met a unanimous welcome.
Governor Pinkham Oppose Suspension
Governor Pinkham's address was
published in full in the second edition
OF the Star-Bulletin yesterday. 1t en-
| phatically opposed suspension of the
coastwise law or anv entering
wedge OF modification. The governor
said in part: .+.Z
1T is assumed this community is
without capital, freight or means with
which to enlarge local steamship &C
commodations between the coast and
| Hawaii. hence this territory is to be
! persuaded to aim another blow at the
American merchant marine and still
further abdicate the remnant of stand
! ing the United States of America
maintains on the high seas.
Il have doubts as to the degree of
study or Information secured by those
SO utterly un-American, for the facts
disclose NJ alarming conditions of
passenger traffic, or obstacles in the
way of Americans supplying all the
needs of local transportation.
: with only 1906 foreign flag berths
available In Honolulu for a whole
year, or about one-fourth of the IN
occupied local berths for the same pc.
Rod, 1t seems not only unwise but
lacking in foresight, selfTespect self
reliance and patriotism TO seek to
have the United States coastwise laws
suspended and to appeal to foreigners
to assist when we are perfectly able
TO care for ourselves, except we are
becoming so bIindly commercialized
red blood no longer flows in the veins
Of many Of our, people.
so far. as am concerned, both as
an individual citizen and governor Of
this territory, | shall take broader,
more rational and patriotic view of
the situation than those who restrict
themselves to local views with every
probability they are obstructing the
best future interests Of the islands.
81 believe our own local resources
are SUFFICIENT for our, local needs.
Transpacitic commerce must es-
seltially be promoted and developed
under the responsibility and wisdom
of the enactments of the Congress of
the United States OF America and not
under the advice Of Hawaii
Il wish to impress upon your minds
there are larger, graver and more vital
issues than local interests and IS
sues involved in the proposal to sus-
pend the coastwise laws Of the United
States of America.
THE issue Is national and requires |
the deepest thought and wisdom of
that ultimate authority, the Congress
Of the United States.
I'VE would present most ridicu-
lous front should even this Chamber
of Commerce speak ex cathedra in its
advice and conclusions to the law
makers of the United States of Amer
lea, predicated solely on conceived |
local interest, convenience and hasty |
local financial apprehension.
mo entering wedge should be driv-
en- into the seams of our ship of state |
such as would be initiated by the |
abrogation, for suspension means in
evitably abrogatlon, of our coastwise
laws"
Mr.. Thurston's Letter.
The letter from L. A. Thurston, /
read to the chamber, was strongly in
favor of relief through Congressional
action from situation which he de-
clared is strangling tourist business.
He asserted that the steamship Stats.
tics of empty berths are unreliable,
inasmuch as berths are counted which
are not available for first-class pas
sengers, owing to staterooms being
alreadys partly occupied, etc.
In part his letter says:
"The reasons why suspension or re-
peal of this law is important - yes
vital, to Hawaii-is that this is a
territory of limited resources.
Sugar is almost our sole source OF
revenue. Our livelihood, government,
education, philanthropic work - the
continued existence in Hawaii of
thousands of our citizens, depends abb
solutely on sugar.
when the price of sugar is UP, the
islands prosper. When it is down, the
reverse is the case.
This is an unhealthy condition of
affairs. A zone industry country" is
subject to many patent evils, and ev-
cry effort should be made to get 1t
on to . broader base.
'HThe effort to establish other indus
tries in Hawaii has so far met with
only limited success. Pineapple pro-
duction alone has been established
as minor industry, and as yet it is
but lusty infant. - l.,
THE one industry which gives i'm i.
mediate promise of success is the
Tourist business.
The first element of success in the
.ourist business is transportation. i;
Transportation must be speedy, eff
I