The San Francisco call., 1898-04-07

 FOR HAW All Defeat of the Plan to Increase the House
 Mem berS.
Representatives Will Also Vote Down the Bill to Raise the
 Salary of Ministers.
During the Floods at the Islands There Have Been Four Deaths and
 Many Acts of HerOisna.
Special Correspondence of The Call.

Special Correspondence of The Call | HONOLULU, -rch 30.-The bark S.. c. Allen, having sped down from the coast in few hours less than ten days, arrived in port some six hours ahead of the China with the news in regard to the annexation contest, but the bulk of the mail arrived by the Moana this morning.
 It appears strange to contemplate, but as usual the private advices' re- ceived by the Government and also by f1attering.
 Practically the only item of general interest from re Legislature is the fact that the House of Representatives has defeated the amendment to the consti- tuition to increase the number of rep resentatives from fifteen to twenty three. The vote was a tie of ' to z, but the Speaker, John Lota Kaulukow, after a long speech, cast his vote against the bill. It may be interesting to know that the Speaker was elected by 175k votes at the last election, and that he was selected as Speaker of the House on account of his oratorical pow CTS, and as past legislative experience has proved, a How of words to which the simile of a mountain torrent fed by a cloud-b burst would be tame. Mr. Kaulukou has held high office, having been Postmaster-Genera Tax Asses sor in Chief and Marshal. He is a law yer by profession and a handsome, portly man, bearing somewhat of a re- semblance to the late King Kalakaua. A judgeship will probably be the ad- miniStration'S douceur to him for his political services.
 It Is difficult to ascertain the true motive of it's action, but 1t is under stood that the House intends to cruelty slaughter the bill to increase the sal aries of ministers to $6000 year, on the grounds that the ministers have not themselves asked for an increase and do not desire it, and the people know ingly smile at their innocence and pa- triotism. The fact probably is that it is not deemed desirable to make the perquisiteS of a portfolio sufficiently tempting to attract political competi- tors, the patronage in itself being suf- ficiently valuable from a politicians s standpoint.
 In spite of the urging of the press, for once combined on the issue. and popu- lar clamor, the proposed amendments tO, Oi iCPCeii Olp lllC pSIldl COHlIdCl ld- Dor laws appear to sullenly hang fire. It is felt in higher circles that such leg islation would be disastrously 'inoppor- tune." Eventually the measure, toned down, will probably pass the House and be safely "dosed" in the Senate.
 The policy of the Government now is to go in heavily for public improve ments, especially in the line of develop ing our internal means of communica- tion. The roads contemplated will fur niSh employment to a vast number of men now unemployed. It is felt that some such policy must be seriously pur- sued to prevent labor troubles, more especially as the improvements con- templated will add materially to the resources and revenue of the country.
 The proposed adoption of the income tax law will have to be abandoned for this session, for it is understood that the executive and the Cabinet have joined the opposition forces. The op- position is not based against the prin- ciples of the system, but against the methods and the present "inopportune- ness of disturbing the revenue sys- tenn.
 We are now In the sixty-sixth day of rain and stormy weather, and floods have been prevalent all over the is- lands, washing away a number of bridges and causing disastrous dam age. In Honolulu, on the 24th, freshet caused the Minanu stream to burst it's bounds and flood considerable district One life was lost, that of a Japanese, after really heroic endeavor at res cue at the imminent peril of his life by William Wells sailor on the R. P. Rithet Wells has been rewarded by the Japanese Minister and residents with a testimonial and watch, and the townspeople will present him with a gold medal and purse
 Another gallant rescue from the swol- len stream was that of a pupil of St. Louis College, Buto, by his schoolmate, Morris. Considering the juvenile age of the boys it was almost marvellous So far as reports have arrived from the other islands about four lives, As | iaticS, were lost.