The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-06-30
DEAD FOR 4 DUCAT."

The House of Representatives put
itself on record yesterday afternoon
by killing the opium bill. In this it
assuredly did its duty both morally
and politically. The committee to
whom the bill had been referred, had
reported unfavorably upon it, and
the House sustained the committee
report.
The object of the bill was to license
opium i'm such way that the SNUG
Cling of the drug might be checked,
and that opium should only he sup
piled to the habitual users of the
drug. The trainers of the act were
perfectly sincere in their desire TO car
ry out what they considered neces-
sary piece of legislation, and the bill
passed the Senate by strong ma
jority.
But when the bill was examined
carefully it was found not to carry out
what ii claimed and moreover it had
certain clauses which were distinctly
vicious. 1t would not stop smuggling,
though gains of the smuggler migt be
reduced and it would not confne the
supply to habitual users of the drug,
for there was nothing to prevent the
habitual users from furnishing the
drug to others who had never used it,
thus swelling the ranks of the vic
Tins of the habit
If the bill failed in these two points
it stood self-condemned and should
not have passed, but it did far worse
than fail in its object. 1t distinctly
set out to corrupt the government Of
ficials by government means, and put
the Board of Health in a very embar
RAISING and very false position.
The Board of Health was to be the
importer of the baneful drug. The
body whose duty it is to preserve the
health of the public was to import and
regulate the sale of the most harmful
and degrading drug known to man.
This was bad, but worse followed.
The bill made the physician of the
Board of Health in each district, the
to an "opium board" which was to
decide who were habitual smokers and
which would give out the daily dole of
the drug, fifty grains each day
In the first place many physicians
would refuse to be placed in such
position and the government would
have lost the services of some of it's
best men. As was pointed out by tne
committee, mo self-respecting, edu-
Gated physician, one whose mission
in life was to heal the sick, restore to
health the afflicted and lead to high
er hygienic life, would so far forget
his duty and calling as to serve out
this means of degradation to erring
fellow creatures" The effect upon
the magistracy and the police would
have been equally bad, with one hand
they would supply the means of
wrong doing, while with the other
they would bring the criminal to JUS
tice. Moreover there was opportuni-
ty furnished for accepting brides and
the carrying on of opium joints with
police connivance. If bill had been
brought in making every government
physician, district magistrate and
deputy sheriff a dispenser of liquor,
a barman in fact, the iniquity of such
a law would have been self evident,
but the proposal in the opium bill was
just as iniquitous.
From another standpoint entirely
no opium bill should be passed by the
men composing the Legislature. Many
of them We're actively engaged in the
overthrow of the monarchy, and,
though there were many causes which
led to that event, the signing of an
opium bill by the eX-Queen was GER
tainly used as a lever to bring that
event about. 1t would be illogical
and stultifying for members who had
inveighed against the eX-Queen's acc
ton, to turn round and attempt to dc
the same thing.
The House in killing the opium bill
has acted honorably and wisely. Dur
ing the session its members have
made many mistakes, and there has
has been much room for criticism
but in its action with regard to tn,
opium bill it has proved credit to it,
constituents and credit to the coun
try at large. 1T has, in the last days
of its existence, saved the pages o.
the statute book of the Hawaiian Re
public from being sullied with an in
delible stain.