The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-01
PRICE FIVE CENTS.

| present laws, should try other laws.
/ Put the license law on the statute
books for a year and if at the end Of
that time it was unsuccessful il could
easily be repealed.
Senator Brown believed that licens-
ing the sale would make no difference
in the consumption of opium by Hawai-
ians. In many parts of the Islands they
were already addicted to the use of the
drug. In Kooloa as many as every 9TH
er Hawaiian was an opium fiend Leav-
ing the question of revenue out of the
consideration entirely, a license bill
would at least put the sale and use OF
opium under the control of the Police
Department
Senator Baldwin said the question
was not one which should be decided
according to the personal prejudices or
opinions of the legislators They should
consider what was the best thing for
the country. If it was a question of
evils, which was the greater, a license
or smuggling? He believed that the
majority of the people were opposed to
licensing the sale. If they wished tt.
| then it should be licensed, but he could
| not see the force of the Marshal's argu-
ment that because other evils were IL
censed, this one might be.
The Senator said that there had been
| an increase in the use of opium by Ha-
waiians on the two occasions when 1t
had been licensed. People who had
grown up in the country had seen the
evil effects upon them and this was one
of the reasons why he opposed its use
| under the sanction of a license law to-
| day. In his opinion many Hawaiians
who smoked opium became addicted to
| its use during the license periods. The
present system, even though there was
a sharing of fines, restricted it's use TO
Cinnamon and opium fiends
An opium license, the Senator argu-
ed, had a demoralizing effect upon the
national character. 1t was the same
in the United States under the slavery
system. Many slaves were in better
condition than they were today, but
the effect upon the country was an
evil one.
The Attorney General entered plea
for respectful consideration Of the
bill. 1t ought not to be dealt with sum-
marily. He was personally opposed to
licensing opium. Every time it had
been licensed it's use had increased, es-
pecially among young Cinnamon. If it
| was decided to license the sale, the IL
cense should not be too high. A duty ON
opium would tend 10 regulate its use.
He considered it a subject to be. con-
| sidered with the greatest care. Those
who knew most about it approached it
with the greatest temerity. He said he
hoped the bill would not be rejected on
| it's first reading.
| Senator Wright asked that more time
i be given before final vote was taken.
| Senator Waterhouse objected to
| Ministerial interference" His objec-
ton was apropos Of the Attorney Cen
erals expressed wish that the bill re-
ceive further consideration before its
| final disposition. He cited as an exam
pie of the evil effects of licensing
opium, the Marquesas Islands The
results had been SO demoralizing that
| it had become necessary to forbid its
use.
Senator McCandless struck a note
of warning for the future. In the
event of annexation, which seemed
inevitable, the Islands would come un-
der United States laws Did the Legis-
lature propose to let annexation come
| upon them with hands down? The
Senate should not blind itself to the
present conditions The Government
seemed powerless to prevent the SNUG
CLING of opium because of the great
extent of coast line. The already eff
cient force could not patrol the whole
coast. AS far as preventing Hawaii
ans from securing opium, they could
get it now of almost every Chirfaman
at the rice plantations He was con-
vinced of this from his personal OBJ
servations. The present system of
sharing fines was demoralizing to the
police and customs department. The
prohibitory system was simply a drain
of 100000 year or so for sentiment
| There was no revenue in it. He be-
| lieved commission should be appoint
ed to thoroughly investigate the con-,
| ditions
Minister Damon made an eloquent
| argument on the moral phase of the
opium question. He considered it his
solemn duty as member of the Gov
ernment to look into the future and