The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-14
NDPENAL CLAUSE
Conference Of House Members and
Political Party.
VIEWS OF CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Resolution Adopted-Frank EXPIRES
sions - An Opinion From the
States-Mr. Gears House Act.

conforming to an agreement suggest
ed by the lawmakers, the Central Com
mittee of the Oahu American Unior
Party and the Island House delegation
met in the Chamber of Commerce al
yesterday forenoon for a conference
The matter under consideration was
the act that has been introduced by
Representative Gear annulling the pc
nal feature of labor contracts as made
in this country. There were present
at the meeting: Chairman Jas. A. Ken
nedy, Secretary w. R. Sims, Messrs.
Theo. F. Lansing, B. F. Dillingham;,
Senator McCandless, w. H. Hoogs. F.
B. McStocker, J. H. Fisher, Geo. w.
Smith, E. G. Winston, L. L. McCan-
dless, A. V. Gear, A. G. NJ Robertson
]. a. Low, A. T. Atkinson, J. L. Kaulu-
kou and S. G. Wilder.
There was earnest discussion for
nearly two hours. Every gentleman
present expressed his views. Mr.. Gear
read his act and gave explanation of
the whole of it, These are the fea-
lures:
THAT from and after the 1st day of
July, 1898, no contract for personal
services made or entered into in the
Republic of Hawaii, shall be specifi-
cally or penalty enforceable
THAT from and after the 1st day OF
January, 1899, no contract for personal
services made or entered into abroad,
shall be specifically or penalty enforce
able in the Republic of Hawaii.
THAT this law shall not be applied
to contracts for services of seamen-
the seamen's law to be left practically
the same as it is at present all over
the world.
That this law shall not be construed
to repeal any existing law so far as il
applies to contracts now in existence
or which may be entered into prior to
the dates indicated"
A citizen now abroad who is a
proven friend of this country and an
untiring worker for annexation, has
written of the proposed law:
1T will demonstrate to the people
Of the United States that the people
and Government of Hawaii are in earn
est in seeking to put themselves in
the line with American conditions and
labor methods and will give to those
who are advocating annexation a
strong moral means to verify such dem
onstration, which will be of far greater
value than merely meeting one Of the
specific objections to annexation.
The abrogatlon Of the contract laobr
system will be an unqualified blessing
to the country in more. ways than
one
AS to the provisions of the act itself,
this writer says:
1T will enable all parties to accom-
mOdate themselves to the situation
long enough beforehand to prevent it
from operating harshly or causing dis
location of the business Of the coun-
try 1t will also cause the system to
lapse gradually instead Of all at once y
The discussion of the act took a very
wide range, as we'll it might. 1t was
stated that the planters would oppose
1t, but that they would do so from a
mistaken idea, as more than half the
labor now on the sugar estates is not
under penal or other contract TO work.
Some Of the expressions against the
penal system were very positive. Two
or three of the gentlemen warmly en-
dorsed the efforts being made in the
direction of having cooperative meth
DDS spread. There was not a gentle
man in the room who failed to con-
denim the penal contract, but Senator
McCandless. Mr.. Hoogs. Mr. Winston
and one or two others insisted that it
was we'll 10 investigate the subject
further and nearly all were of the
opinion that the planters were certain
ly entitled to a hearing in the matter
There was also made the suggestion
that public meetings be held or the
ward clubs of the party be called to-
gether There was not a little talk on
the emigration question as a whole and
on the prospects for industries other
than coffee.
The motion Of Mr.. McStocker that
it be the sense Of the committee meet
ing that the penal feature of labor con
tracts be abolished by the present leg
islatuTe was carried without q negative
vote after much debate.
There was very manifest in the
meeting the usual spirit of fair play
that has characterized the gatherings
and conference Of the committee and