The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-09-28
GOVERNMENT WORK.
Speech by Hon. j. N. S. Williams
in Moving Adoption of Report.


in Moving Adoption of Report.
Noble Williams, in moving the
adoption of the Commerce Com
mittee's report recommending the
pass ge of the bill relating to Gov
eminent work, said:
This bill was brought in response
to a largely signed petition from the
mechanics of Honolulu that some
action be taken by this Government
to protect them in the distribution
of government contracts against
foreign competition, wages being
higher here than in the United
States. Industrial institutions rarely
tender for manufactured goods for
the use of the Hawaiian Government
and the mechanics see with disgust
large quantities of goods coming
into this country which could have
been made by them just as we'll, but
not quite so cheaply. The hon.
noble from Maui (Mr. Thurston),
knowing that this bill was brought
in for the benefit of mechanics, has,
with his usual elegance of expression
and fertility of vocabulary, termed
this bill "snide,' probably because it
was for mechanics. 1t is good to
know the opinion of the hon. noble,
it may possibly have bearing on
the next elections. He also says
that it is protection run mad"
| must say, Mr.. President, that
| cannot see how he proposes
to substantiate this statement.
A bill brought in to legalize the Civ
ing out of contract at Is percent
higher to home firm than to for
eign firm is certainly not an instance
of extreme legislation, it does not
compare with the protection to
home firms in Government work
practised in the United States, not
only in respect to war material, but
to everything else required by the
Government. How long does the
hon. Noble suppose an administra-
ton that sent to England for sup
plies of any kind would remain in
power in the United States? / could
multiply instances in Europe were
there time. He also had raved about
the principle of the greatest good to
the greatest number and says that
this bill is contrary to that princi-
pie. Mr.. President, l deny the
soundness of Noble Thurston's argu-
ment and hold that the policy of
protection is the policy of the great
est good to this community at this
time. We acknowledge that me-
chanics and their families are desir-
able citizens and many private indi-
viduals willingly pay more than a
10 percent advance over foreign
competition in order to encourage
home industry and they are sound in
their views. | would like to know
how it is that in 1889 a large CON
tract for water pipes was placed in
the United States, when tenders were
received from Europe quoting prices
thousands of dollars less than the
contract was given out at. Was
that considering the welfare of
the taxpayer? 1T seems that the
gentleman had not considered
the bill, report or petition at
all when he made his attack.
An attempt is made to condemn this
bill because it will benefit the iron
| WorhS companies. NOW L WISH To
say right here, that no industrial
company has had anything to do
with this bill, that the mechanics of
this town are the only benefciaries
by getting more work. If the en-
ployers cannot make profit they
do not undertake work and they will
certainly not tender for Government
work unless they can make it pay,
and the Is percent asked for is as
little as can be expected, seeming that
wages are considerably higher here
than in the United STATES. To close,
Mr.. President, will only say that
the bill was had under careful CON
sideration by the Commerce Com
mittee, perhaps the strongest com
mittee of this house, and in view of
the undoubted benefits to the
mechanics they unanimously recon-
mend that the bill pass. The gen
tleman's motion to indefinitely post
pone is under these circumstances
exceedingly discourteous and leads
one to believe that he thinks that all
the brains in this house sit in that
corner and are branded Thurston.
[ move that the report of the Com
mittee be adopted.