The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-03-15
END PENAL CLAUSE
Conference Of HOHSG Members and
Political Party.
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 Union
Party and the Island House delegation
met in the Chamber of Commerce all
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, ]. H. Fisher, Geo. W.
Smith, E. c. Winston, L. L. McCan-
dless, A. V. Gear, A. G. NJ. Robertson,
j. A. Low, A T. Atkinson, ]. 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, 1888, 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
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 it
applies to contracts now in existence
or which may be entered into prior to
the dates indicated"
A citizen now abroad who is
proven friend of this country and an
untlring 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
'trong moral means TO verify such dem
which will be of far greater
value than merely meeting one of the
SPECIFIC objections to annexation.
The abrogation 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:
It will enable all parties to accom-
hodate 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
The discussion of the act took a very
VIDE range, as well it might. 1t was
stated that the planters would oppose
u put that they would do so from
mistaken idea, as more than half the
apor now on the sugar estates is not
lnder penal or other contract to work. |
some OF the expressions against the
penal system were very positive. Two
0r three OF the gentlemen warmly en-
lorsed the efforts being made in the
ilrection OF having cooperative meth
'ds spread. There was not a gentle
man in the room who failed to con-
Tenn the penal contract, but Senator |