The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-01
BILL
The Senate Takes Up
The Measure.
Several important Amendments, In
GLIDING One Against Contract
Labor Are Adopted.

United States to its insular possessions.
The bill providing a form OF govern
ment for the Hawaiian islands has
right Of way, and if it should be so for
tunate as to be finally acted upon be-
fore the close of tie week, the Porto
Riean bill will be Immediately taken
up. The probabilities are that the Ha-
waiian bill will be debated at consider
able length and that many amendments
will be offered to It, and it may be made
the basis of more or less general talk
on the question of the policy to be
pursued toward the new possessions
Considerable time probably will be
necessary to the final disposal of the
bill.
All admit the urgency of legislation
giving the Hawaii a government,
but there are some points on which
there are radical differences of opinion.
The most important of these is tn
question as to whether the CONNIE 'al
intercourse between the United St =
and the islands snail be under a tariff
OF under the free trade system al led
between the states of the Union he
bill provides for free trade, but sevc. al
of the Senators, under the leadership
of Senator Plat OF Connecticut, are
making an effort to secure radical
amendment in this respect. Senator
Cullom. in charge of the bill, will re-
sist, and he will be supported by some
Republicans and nearly all the Demo-
cratic members. Practically the same
fight will be made on the Porto RicaT
bill.
Tna RilI Talan Tn
WASHINGTON Feb. 1s.-The bill
providing for government of Hawaii
was taken up today. Cullom of Illinois.
in charge of the measure, explained its
provisions section by section, elab-
Grating the necessarily condensed Ian
guage of the bill.
Tillman was disposed to criticise the
bill, as indicated by his Interruptions
of Cullom, because property and educa-
Iional qualifications for voters and
office-holders were required, inasmuch
as objections were raised in this coul-
try to Southern states demanding
similar qualifications of their voters.
Cullom said the matter had been
considered most carefully by the For
eign Relations Committee, and as a
means of protecting the interests of the
| lGlduuS anu llitlI NANlLtnS llOll us
order and confusion the restricted
suffrage qualifications had been adOpt-
ed. No discrimination was shokn
against any race or class of people In
Hawaii. Under the bill all were treat
ed with absolute equality.
Cullom explained as a particular rea-
son for earlier action upon the pending
bill that the bubOnic plague had Great
ed a serious situation in Honolulu.
Thirty acres of the city were burned
by the authorities in order to prevent
the spread of the plague. Eight thous-
and persons, homeless and nearly maxi
ed, were in quarantine and were being
supported by the other citizens of Ho-
nolulu. The Hawaiian people had
made a strong appeal for the enactment
of legislation that would give them the
the authority of permanent govern
ment, and he hoped the measure might
be given speedy but thorough consid-
Grafton.
At the conclusion of Cullom's state
ment a sharp discussion arose over the
right of Congress to establish in a ter
ritory constitutional court of the
United States. No conclusion was
reached before the Senate. at SIS p.
m, held an executive session, and at
| 0:20 p. m. ADJOURNED.
At Work on the Measure.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2O.-The bill to
provide a government for the territory
of Hawaii was laid before the Senate
and its consideration resumed. To
section 10 of the bill providing for the
continuation of existing contracts, Mel
| son offered an amendment excepting
| from such protection contracts for la
Dor entered into since August u, 1898
| Cullom accepted the amendment and
it was agreed with an amendment of
| fered by Vest of Missouri, providing
that no bonds should be issued or in
I debtedness be incurred without the APP
proval of the President of the United
States.
A long discussion resulted over a
proposed amendment to extend to Ha-
wall the inhibition against contract la.
Dor importation which exists in the
United States. The Senators were ask.
ed to frame the law so as to eliminate
absolutely contract labor in Hawaii
To this end the section of the bill re.
lating to contracts was amended finally
by the addition of the following par.
agraph, framed by Hoar and perfected
by Spooner:
IIONlueu, tnaC no proceeding shall
be maintained for the specific perform.
ance OF any contract heretofore or here.
after entered into for personal labor OF
service, ard there shall be no crimina
proceeding for the breach thereof"
Spooner offered an amendment strik.
ing out the section providing that the
Supreme Court of the territory should
be the judge of the election of members
of the Hawaiian Legislature and con.
ferring upon each branch Of the Leg
islature the power to determine the
qualifications of its members. After
some discussion It was adopted.
The general calendar was taken VI
and the following bills passed: Grant.
ing to the State of Wyoming 80 OOC
acres of land to aid in continuation
enlargement and maintenance of the
wyoming State Soldiers and Sailors
Home; to amend an act entitled Gan
act granting pensions to the survivors
OF the Indian wars of 1882 to 1912. in.
elusive. known as the Black Hawk war
Creek war, Cherokee disturbances and
the Seminole war"
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