The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-02-28
SENATOR BROWNS BILL CAUSES
DISCUSSION.
Is Vigorously Opposed by Senator
Waterhouse and Others, but Passes
First Reading-Other Bills.

tor brown opium Dill.
A recess was then taken until 1880
o'clock to consider the appropriation
bills.
The opium bill is practically the
same which was introduced two years
ago. 1t provides for a license for the
island of Oahu for the sum of $20,0U0
Kauai, $4,000; Hawaii, $4,000; Maui,
to include the three smaller islands,
$4,000. Each license will be good for
one year.
Senator Waterhouse at once moved
that the bill be rejected, and support
ed his motion in a vigorous speech. lie
was glad the Senator had introduced
his bill thus early in the session. lie
believed that the Senate would show
to the world that it was consistent on
this subject. One of the first acts of
| the Provisional Government was to re-
peal the opium licensing act. To pass
| this act at this time would be to now
! throw down Il prop which we can i'll
| afford to do at this time.
He read extracts from the Marshal's
| report recommending :he licensing of
| opium, commenting on the arguments
there advanced Comparing the Mar
shaPs statements as to the difficulty
of enforcing the opium prohibition
law and those to the effect that other
| prohibitory laws, as those against the
Chinese gambling, were more etfec-
| lively enforced, he said IT simply
showed that the several departments
of the government were not working
together The Police department, the
| Board of Health and the Customs de-
4 N N h.lrr
If they would get together, there
might be different result.
Senator Brown defended his bill.
The current price of opium in the Is
lands was such small advance on the
prices in Hong Kong and California
as showed that there was plenty of it
in the country. 1t could only get into
the country by smuggling AS the tax
provided by the bill the price would be
a little in advance of what it is at the
present time. So that there would be
no probability of any great increase
in the use of the drug.
One great objection always urged
against licensing opium was that of
sentiment regarding the Hawaians.
This sentiment did not extend to the
people of any other race among whom
there are those addicted to the habit
But there was no probability thai
use of opium would increase among
the Hawaiians, because they could get
all they wanted now. On the other
hand, the demoraliztion of the sus-
toms service, the police, marshafs and
sheriffS' forces due to the temptation
of smuggling was worse than the evils
feared from licensing opium. 1t was
current talk that only a few weeks
ago a vessel from Victoria landed a
quantity of opium on one of the Is
lands, and the deputy sheriff helped
land it,
Senator Baldwin opposing the bill
said that in balancing the evils of
smuggling which the present law crc-
ated against those feared from licens-
: ing the traffic, he believed the evils OF
smuggling were the least, because
= they could be corrected. This bill was
something more than a bill to tax OPT
r um. 1t was a bill. to license its sale
: and to establish public opium joints
5 He believed past experience showed
1 that the use of opium increased among
the Hawaiians when it could be easily
and. publicly procured. He therefore
felt that the bill was ineXpedienr.
Attorney General Smith hoped the
: bill would not be acted on hastily as
it was a matter that must come up
and ought to be treated honestly. H'
did not think license of very higI
amount ought to be levied. If a mar
> were obliged to pay $4,000 for Ii
; cense, he would have to do IA very bis
business to make any money. Unde
81, I., a In,
agents in every village and distric
= striving to increase the sale of opium
p So that while admitting the evils o
the present situation, he believed tn
y best way of dealing with it would b.
to place a duty on the importation an,
permit its free sale or sale at low rate
, of license.
J. Senator Hooking said that one rea
" son why the present law was not bet
a. ter enforced was that on many of tn
plantations, the police received no en-
couragement and were in same case
actually hindered in their searche
= among the Chinese for opium.
senator Waterhouse replied warml
TO the Attorney General. He eXpresse
: surprise that he should urge that th
bill go to II committee. "The grea
: difficulty" he said with our govern
II ment at the present time is its wan
Of policy. The Senate can transact il
o own business without the interference
c of the Ministers. We are not mer
ministerial servants"
q Senator NcCandless expressed Tn
belief that the licensing of opium wi
actually decrease its use. Somethiu
.t ought to he done with the question
I for if annexation came. opium woul
come in free and they would be who
V ly without regulations.
Minister Damon spoke opposing tn
bill on moral grounds.
Senator Warehouses; motion to r,
iect the bill was lost by the followin
D. vote: Ayes, Kauhane. LYMAN, Nortl
rup. Waterhouse, Rice-5. Noes, Ho