Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-24
Sugar Trust in ths\WN Of Laws for
Hawaii
PREVENTING ACTION By CONGRESS
Cheap Labor BRaboo Frightens
Some of the Numbers.
THE SECRET OPPOSITION

The friends of the bill to establish a form
of government for Hawaii have practically
abandoned hope Of its enactment during
this session of Congress. Their efforts to
obtain day for its consideration in the
House have not been encouraged since the
impression has gone abroad that insur-
mountable objections to the bill exist in
certain interested quarters In the Senate
The House managers-are convinced that
the bill, if passed by the House, would not
be permitted to pass the Senate.
The resolution of Congress under which
Hawaii was annexed to the United States
contained the following provision:
1.-THE President shall appoint five commits
sioners. at least two of whom shall be resi-
dents of Hawaii who shall, as soon as rea-
sonably practicable, recommend to Con-
gress such legislation concerning the Ha-
waiian Islands as they shall deem neces-
sary or proper"
The Laws Recommended.
The commissioners thus provided for by
Congress were appointed and performed the
duty imposed upon them.
At the beginning of this session thew
made their report. recommending legisIa-
ton deemed necessary and proper for
the government of Hawaii, which was in
dcrsed by the President and sent to Con-
gresS for enactment into law The appro-
pirate committees in the House and Sem
ate took up the matter and bills were re-
ported. carrying out the recommendations
in effect.
At this stage of progress a strong head
wind was encountered. Probably it could
better be termed an undertow for il was
beneath the surface and secret, although
powerful No Roadway has since been
made.
Some men in the Senate have suddenly
discovered in the extension of a code of
laws to Hawaii, and closer utilization with
the states, an alleged menace to American
industries. They have manifested a degree
of timidty over this point which would he
parent.
The pretense has been advanced that I'M
der the improved relations with Hawaii,
cheap labor may come into New England
mills in competition with home labor
Chairman Knox of the House committee on
territories, who is pushing the bin, was
questioned upon this point by a Star re-
porter.
Chairman's knox's View.
"Well. I represent the largest mill dis
trict in the United States,'' said Mr. Knox,
"and we are not worrying over such a con-
tingency. The cheap labor of Hawaii has
had, for the last hundred years, just as
much opportunity to come in as it will ever
have. and we have not suffered YETI
Mr.. Knox said he could mot appreciate
the force of arguments of this character
against the bill. They We're on par he
said, with the logic of)those who entertain
fears that cotton mills may be established
in Hawaii and compete with New England,
when Hawaii has not pound of coal in
her hills.
Criticism of the Opposition.
In other quarters, however. there is no
hesitancy in brushing aside the pretenses,
and some very harsh expressions are heard
against the oppositi6n to the, Hawaiian
bill. There are those who do not hesitate
to charge that the sugar trust-,is at the
bottom of the opposition ami that it is pre-
venting action on the bill for mercenary
reasons best known to- the influential
friends which the trust is accredited with
having in both houses.
One of the last MEASURES of legislation
in which the late Mr.. Dingley took inter-
est was bill reported from his committee,
and which passed the House, extending the
customs laws of the United States to Ha-
wall. That bill is still pigeonholed in
the Senate. The general opinion is that
the bill is obnoxious to the trust, in that
1t would abrogate the present tariff regua-
tons favorable to thu sugar interests.