The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-06-26
LAWYERS IN CONFERENCE
RESOLUTIONS ON THE HAWAIIAN
ENABLING ACT.
Objections to Part Relating to the Local
judiciary - Recent Supreme Court
Decisions Discussed.

Judge j. NJ. Davidson presided at a
meeting of attorneys held in the Su-
preme court chamber Saturday. Twen-
ty-eight practitioners were present. The
objects of the conference were to alter
somewhat the present form of the Bar
Association, or to reorganze 1t alto
gether; and to memoriaize the Pres-
dent of the United States on the sub
| iect of that part of the Hawaiian en-
abling act relating to the judiciary.
The subject of reorganization was
thoroughly discussed, remarks being
made by most of the gentlemen pres
ent. A committee on constitution and
! bylaws was appointed and will report
at a future meeting.
George D. Gear brought up the sub
| ject of petitioning the President of the
! United states to strike out certain pro-
visions in the Hawaiian enabling act
| relating to the local judiciary, and Of
! fered the following resolutions:
Whereas, The commission appointed
by the President of the United States to
recommend to Congress Legislation con-
corning the Hawaiian Islands, under
! the provisions of the Joint resolution of
! Congress, approved July T. 1898, in their
report contained in Senate document
No. 16, of the Fifty-fifth Congress at the
third session thereof, have recommend
ed that the Civil laws in Section 1852,
Chapter 81 shall provide as follows:
1862. THE Supreme court shall con-
sist of a chief justice and two associate
justices. provided. however, that the eN-
isting justices of the Supreme court
shall exercise their functions as justices
of the Supreme court under the provi-
siOns of this chapter according to theil
constitutional tenure of Office And IN
the bill introduced in the Senate of the
United states by Mr.. Cullom, in the
Fifty-fifth Congress at the third session
a. or
with amendment, December 81, 1898, be
ing entitled "A bill to provide govern
ment for the territory of Hawaii II Is
provided i'm Section 81 thereof, relating
to the appointment removal tenur,
and salaries of officers, that, among 9th
er things "All persons holding office il
the Hawaiian Islands at the time Thu
act takes effect shall, except as hereil
7 otherwise provided, continue to holC
their respective offices until such office
6 become vacant, but not beyond the en'
of the first session of the Senate, unles
reappointed as herein provided, eXcep
= the chief justice and associate justice
/ of the Supreme court and the judges o
:, the Circuit courts who shall continue i
. office until their respective offices be
e come vacant and,
il Whereas, In the bill introduced in tn
. House of Representatives by Mr.. Hit
i'm the Fifty-fifth Congress at the thir
l. l0990, reported with amendments Janu
/, airy 90, 1899, being entitled "A bill I
II provide a government for the territor
of Hawaii" a similar provision is cor
/ tanned as in Senate bill 1898,
g Resolved. That we. the Bar Associa
ton of the Hawaiian Islands deprecat
any proposed jurisdiction in the actio
of Congress discriminating in favor {
the present judicial officers as again!
all the other officers of the Governmel
L so as to continue all the present incun
bents of the Supreme court in office f,
life and to continue all the preSel
- judges of the Circuit court in office du
ing their term of Office irrespective
y any new appointment such as is requi
, ed in the case of all other offices of Il
Hawaiian Government. and
Resolved That we request the Sena
y and House of Representatives of II
II United States of America i'm Congre!
,. assembled to strike out from the pre-
posed bills the parts thereof containir
N such present judges in office, and tn,
the judges be not excepted from II
operation of the law applicable to II
appointment of all other officers.
Is = George A. Davis, f. w. Hanke
If George Gear, A. S. Humphreys and otl
erS spoke in favor of the resolution
u +. p. Dole and A. b. Mechanism fay
ored a more representative meeting
The matter was important and shou
be discussed and acted upon by II
p whole bar. Mr.. Humphreys was will
It ing to carry the matter over. On mi
ton ii was deferred to another confer
ence to be held Wednesday afternoon.
Mr.. Gear gave notice of his intentlo
to introduce resolution requestir
| President Mckinley to secure from II
| attorney general a ruling on recent d,
! cisions of the Hawaiian Supreme cou
declaring certain amendments to IL
Constitution of the United States inoT
erative here.