The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-10-12

drug. He could not believe that
the representatives of the people
were willing to pass law that would
increase the use of opium among the
Chinese and among their own peo-
pie. They cannot dodge their re.
sponsibility. They know that it will
lead to these effects among their own
people. Would any intelligent Ha-
waiian after voting for this sort of
thing dare to say he was in favor of
increasing the nation. If they pass
this bill they should drop that motto
and adopt one more honest. If he
knew that not single Hawaiian
would use opium under the bill, he
would still be opposed to it. There
are thousands of Chinese who are
kept from the use of opium by the
present law and who would be drawn
into it by this bill being adopted.
1t is admitted to be the most difficult
habit for man to break off. He
could not believe that the members
of this legislature would for any
amount of money take the tabu from
the opium and see it spreading among
the people. He hoped they loved
the people they represented better
than to he guilty of any such action.
He believed the bill would be killed
right here.
Rep. Brown was in favor of inde-
finite postponement. Looking at
the bill, he saw that the title is one
thing and the bill itself is quite a
different thing. Its construction
is in violation of article "a of the
Constitution, and the bill is there
fore unconstitutional. 1t does not
provide for the importation and sale
of opium into the Kingdom only
for Honolulu alone, but the title
says into the Kingdom. If the bill
passes, it will repeal by implication
the act of 1876 and the result will
be licensed sale of opium in Homo
lulu, while in the other islands,
they can import and sell as much as
they please. Nobody can restrict
them. 1t has been the cry of the
persons agitating this bill that 1t
will help the revenue and prevent
smuggling, and the bill they have
here makes it free all over the King
dom. The restrictions of the bill
only apply to Honolulu, and cannot
apply to any other part of the King
dom. The bill looked to him as if a
Chinaman with tin of opium had
got into it. The members who ad-
vocated licenses at $4,000 year
had some excuse to offer for voting
it. They can have no such excuse
for voting for this. The Minister
of the Interior must give license to
the one applying for it. 1t cannot
be put up at auction.
Rep. Wight had intended to speak
of the moral and physical effects of
this bill, by which man, the most
glorious work of his Maker, would be
degraded below the level of the
beast, and by which these beautiful
islands would be converted into the
vilest pandemonium of vice. Nothing
is too low for man given to opium
to descend to. The Attorney-General
had spoken so powerfully on this
point that he could not add any
thing to the force of his argument.
He was sorry to see that not the mo-
raj but the financial phases of the
question were considered by men,
bers in favor of the bill. They
seemed to think that smuggling
would be stopped and the govern
ment finances would be increased.
He would ask members if
they can catch water in sieve
If they can, they may be
able to stop smuggling. From what
source is most of the revenue de-
rived? Where are the Government
revenues to come from if difficulties
are placed in the way of the planters
to carry on their work! The plan
tations are already heavily handi-
capped by the high prices of labor
and the low prices ruling in sugar.
One of the greatest difficulties plan
tation managers have now is to keep
opium smoking under control. II
it is so difficult now under a pro.
hibitory law that whoever is found
in possession of the drug may be
taken before police magistrate and
fined and imprisoned, what will il
be when these penalties are re-
moved? When any impeachment is
put in the way of labor, it becomes
more difficult for planters to get
value for what they pay for labor,
and it will be more difficult for the
Government to get its revenue. II
they should recover thousands from
this bill, what is to compensate the
Government for the losses conse.
quent upon the injury it will be tc
the industry of the country?
Rep. Aholo said some of the argu.
ments against the bill were true, but
some he could not see through.
DR.. Wight had said something about
a sieve. He (the speaker) would
undertake to take up sufficient water
in sieve to wet the honorable mem
Der pretty well through. Some
managers allow their Chinese labor.