The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-01-07

Jan. v.
The House met at 0 An. Roll call,
twenty-three members were present.
Quorum at 9:l5. The minutes were
read and approved.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Noble Peterson, from the Judiciary
Committee, gave notice of their inten-
ton to introduce an Act relative to
writs of error. On suspension of rules,
the bill was read by title, and then
passed to engrossment, to be read the
third time on Monday.
SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY.
Clerk Mccarthy read Rep. Smiths
resolution on sending committee of
the Legislature TO the United States
of America.
j Rep. Smith said that Hawaii was so
remote from America that very few
members of Congress had any reliable
information concerning these Islands.
Some of them are not aware of our
existence. The idea of sending COM
mittee is of twofold Importance it is
to awaken an interest in the people of
America and Hawaii, and to promote
our commercial relations. The COM
mittee would not interfere with the
duties of our Minister at Washington.
The Democratic party now in power
was deadly opposed to the Mckinley
Bill. Their policy is against recipro-
city treaties with foreign countries,
and we might share that condemna-
ton. This committee would have the
same result as the Pan-American
Congress. Sending few Hawaiians
of intelligence would enlighten men,
bers of Congress as to the real stand
ing of Hawaiians, whom most of the
Americans consider as no better than
semi-savage Fijians. There is a strong
opposition in Congress against the
proposed treaty with Canada, and if
we fail to obtain more favorable treaty
relations with America, where shall
we go? Where is our market? The
expense to the Legislature is nothing
to the danger involved if we fail to
obtain a more favorable treaty. There
fore support the resolution.
Rep. White asked what Rep. Smith
wished to accomplish-whether the
report of the majority or minority of
the committee.
Rep. Smith-All that is stated in
my resolution.
Rep. White said that at a mass
meeting, Rep. r. w. Wilcox spoke in
favor of ceding Pearl Harbor to
America. opposed him, and there
was not a single Hawaiian present
who sided with Rep. Wilcox. The
presence of Rep. Wilcox at Washing
ton would give Americans an idea-
fhaf To xryoc fou
Pearl Harbor, Which is not so. 1t was
rldteeHHf hohs that members of Congress
would know more about Fiji than
Hawaii, whose numerous newspapers
were circulated in America. The sug-
gestion was preposterous. This COM
mittee should be definitely instructed
as to what they should do and no
more.
Rep. Smith asked him where Man.
ia was.
Rep. White replied that he was per-
fectly at home in the map business.
Manila is in the Philippine group.
Laughter. Sweet Oil Wilcox goes
to Washington to meet President
Grover Cleveland, and he may meet
his old friend Celso G. Moreno there.
Queen Victoria knows now Rep.
Iosepa's views on annexation as
published in the Examiner. Fascinat-
ing ladies might change Rep. Iosepa's
views, and might favor annexation.
The idea of this committee going over
to America to give them instructions
on the Nicaragua Canal is simply
ridiculous. A single member of Con-
gress has more brains than the whole
of the Hawaiian Legislature put to-
gether. There is something fishy
l., 4hA A
report). 1t smells Hartwell all over,
and he wants to pocket cool 100000
on the cable franchise. One of the
Kamehamehas sent a com mission be-
fore, but it did not accomplish any
thing. Kalakaua alone succeeded. If
the Mckinley tariff is unpopular with
the Democrats, then the advantages
Hawaii reaped prior to the Mckinley
bill will be restored. 1t was folly to
assist the Nicaragua Canal with $780,
600, as the money was needed at home
for public improvements.
Rep. Waipuilani wanted to know
whether the Legislature had any right
to send commission to Washington.
Rep. Smith replied that the House
had full power to do so.
Noble Thurston said that the Cana
dian Parliament sent a commission
to Hongkong, Java and Australia
several years ago, regarding the Chi
nese question.
Rep. Waipuilani continued, saying
that this commission would mean a
lack of confidence in the Hawaiian
Minister at Washington. He doubted
the propriety of sending a commits
sion.
Noble Thurston said there was
more serious side to the question en-
bodied in the resolution than had
been stated by the member from La
haina. The question was: What are
we going to do with regard to our
commercial relations with America?
Our present commercial relations were
certainly of very little benefit to us.
In two years hence we would be left
to paddle our own canoe-when the
treaty expired. If we sat down and
did nothing we should deserve to be
distinguished off the face of the COM
mercial world. 1t took us eight years
to get the treaty, and three years after
1854 before we got it renewed, acting
solely through diplomatic channels.
How many more would it take now?
1t would be good thing if the Queen
were to go in the same way Kalakaua
did, but in her stead this commission
would answer the purpose. On the
same lines this proposition laid no
lack of confidence in the Cabinet or
the Minister at Washington. 1t would
indeed be an insult to the Cabinet and
direct lack of confidence in the Min
lister at Washington if the commission
were to 90 to negotiate a treaty, but
such is not the proposition. The idea
of the commission is to get a hearing,
and let matters of greater Importance
stand nv for q time and give us q