Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-30
HAWAI'S PLACE
IN WORLD TRAVEL
SPOTLIGHT LARGE
Cross Roads of Pacific in Five
Years Has Drawn Many
Thousand Tourists; General
Trade Increased as Visitors
Flock to Islands
BY A. p. TAYLOR
Secretary Hawaii Promotion

- HE staples Of publicity which the
Hawaii Promotion Committee has
y been driving for the past nfteen
. years through barriers which separate
the Hawaiian Islands from the rest y:
the world. have actually been clincne0
on the other side within the past five
years, thereby holding its own, from
q tourist standpoint, against the keen
competition waged by other reglons
for their attractions to travellers.
When organized publicity Tor the
Hawaiian Islands was launched, tn
cable, the wireless and the auto mad
not come 10 the islands. Hawaii Was
then isolated from the rest OF the
world, and the picturesque giaEoc
which CLOSES over ."toreign countries
gave the islands o unique tistinctio1
IN the travel world. Honolulu then
was evolving from the overgrown VII
LACE stage 70 that of a city. but much
OF the romance Of tho monarchy ano
republic days stIl! ci!ngs to the 10
( lands. All the picturesque descriD-
lions Of Hawaii from the pens OF
Robert Louis SteT enson, William war
rem Stoddard and other brilliant
I writer's, depicting life Of former days.
still held them, and visitors here were
favored with occasional glimpses OF
the past. l
Influence Of Amerieanisn
The influence OF Americanism, first
implanted in the islands nearly cen
fury ago--1s2e--by the missionaries
from New England, was sohdfflea
when the monarchy was changed
overnight 70 republic, and absoirteiy
"a. when. on July !, 1898, President
Mckinley signed the act which creat'1
"a Hawaii into q territory OF the Unit
al states, for immediately, following
the raising OF the Stars and Stripes
here came the constitution, and In Its
wake 3 growing list Ct 'rican
rss,6erts for 10 mGn lain
land Hawaii WIS [ 40
49,, ths isl.nSs ART ned
the status Of q TERRITORY, 40 taoe
pendence as republic, passed into
oblivion, and the evolution from Poly
nesian 10 American institutions be-
gan: Eee
So rapIdly came the transformation
from the mass Of picturesque ele-I
ments which made up a unique life
IN Hawaii, that today the former
royal palace stands almost SOLITARY
monument to the ancient regime, butI
the throne room VI the palace yet re-
tains the atmosphere Of the days Wnen
kings and queens. princes and prin-I
cesses, ministers OF cabinets, amDas-I
sailors and plen, potentiaries, made
Hawaii the favQrs.s theme Of great
writers and poets, singers ana players,
Of the days when II was pawn Of
Internal onal dipionacy, but held
strongly 10 American principles and
protection by me stern announcement
az Daniel Webster to other nations TO.
keep their hands off the Paradise OF
the Pacific"
The Coming Of the Gable
Came also the day when the Pacific
cable was anchored on the shores Of
Honolulu; came the day when the
anto invaded the quiet streets Of tns
island capital; came also the day when
the news Of the world was flashed
from continent to continent and across
our sapphire seas to the islands
through the afr; when modern and
fast steamers replaced the old wooden
bark rigged steamers, and changed
voyages into trips. and brought Broad
way within less than two weeks from
the Crossroads Of the Pacific"
The promotion committee, cognizant.
Of the rapidly increasing importance
81 the commercial and maritime devei
opmenf Of the territory, and always
with an eye to the future, never lost
sight OF the picturesque past In all its
publicity campaign abroad. The com
mitteess literature, containing wor5
paintings Of the wonderful and color
ful natural attractions Of the islands,
interspersed with exploitations OF
steady progress made in agriculture
and every factor Of industrial enter
prise. became standardized. Every
civilized region Of the world was
floodei with the committees booklets
and travel toward the islands devel-
oped satisfactorily, As the industries
here grew and larger and faster and
more pretentious steamers were plac
cd ii service to the islands. travel
expanded. q
rive Years Of special Effort
II was five years ago when the pro-
motion committee, after investigating
the field for publicity upon the main
land. got behind movement to ex-
Mott the Hawaiian Islands at the
Panama-Pacific International Exposi.
ton 10 be held IN San Francisco In
1e1b. and when the legislature con
vened A 1918, the campaign for such
exnloItation was IN fun swing, the
promotion committee office being the
center Of all activities to that end
and the executive secretary Of the
committee Of that period becoming
chairman OF the Hawaii Exposition
Commission. q
n line with this policy, the promo
ton committee decided TO open .
mainland bureau with headquarters In
San Francisco and formally opened
TIE office toward the close Of 1913
The committee believes that It act.
I'd wisely. for In addition to making a
short cut and saving OF time by mail