The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-30
PENSION PLEA
LlIiuokaIani'S Claim is
Discussed.
A Chapter Of the Senate Debate on
The Amendment to Section
l0l Of CUIIom Bill.

10 AgAAJWGs
Mr.. Clark Of Wyoming But so long
as l shall remain in the Senate I shall
reserve the right TO offer any and every
amendment which l think is proper to
any and every bill which comes before
the Senate. | do not want TO trans
gress the privileges Of the Senate; /
do not want TO transgress the rules OF
the Senate; but l do want TO see JUS
tice done, and l think that is one OF the
things which the Senate OF the United
States sits for.
The Senator from Connecticut says
there is no legal right in the matter
which is involved in the amendment
which has been proposed by myself
and amended by the Senator from
Georgia. grant it, because in the
politics of the world might means
right, and the nation that is strong
enough TO throttle a smaller nation
never has TO answer In any court of
justice for its action, and it may 90
"unwhipped of justice" for all its i'll
deeds. But that does not alter the fact
that a great nation can afford to be
generous and just and honest.
There is no legal claim. The minute
that the republic Of Hawaii in its
might, aided repeat it aglin-by the
Government of the United States, made
a revolution and took over the crown
lands, chat minute all legal right ceas-
ed. But the Senator from Connecticut,
and every Other Senator, knows that
there is something besides legal rights
in this world. There is a moral Obliga-
ton that rests upon every government
to treat It's Subjects and the subjects of
other governments in a moral and in
an equitable way.
Notwithstanding what has been said
by the Senator from Connecticut, at
the time of her overthrow the Queen
of those islands had S50,0O0 annual
Unconstitutional proft-from the
crown lands of those islands. The re-
public took them over, and, as has
been said, it not only took the crown
lands over, but 1t made such a confis-
cation as has never been made by a
revolution, not even the French Revo-
luton. 1t took every article of per-
sOnal apparel; ii took every article in
the kitchen; it took every article in
the palace; it took every article every
where; arrested the deposed monarch
upon the streets and kept her in close
confinement in a government building
for months and months, without allow
ing her to visit her home. l am not
specially interested in the individual.
am simply interested in seeing that
this Government does justice. | am
simply interested that We do at least
equity.
Mr.. Kyle. May I ask the Senator a
question?
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming. Certainly.
Mr.. Kyle. l ask the Senator if the
Queen was The only one dispOssessed of
rights at the time OF the overthrow of
the monarchy?
MIR. Clark of Wyoming. She was, SO
far as l know. / do not know of any
others.
Mr.. Kyle. Were there not a great
many others?
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming. There may
have been.
Mr. Kyle Then it might be right tc
include them all in the bill.
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming. ! do mo-
think there were any Others-thert
were no Others
Mr.. Plat of Connecticut. Mr. Presl
dent.
The President pro tempore. Does the
Senator from Wyoming yield?
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming. Certainly.
Mr.. Plat of Connecticut. Is 1t moi
the truth that all this property which
/ is said to have been confisca.ed Wa!
| afterwards turned over to the princes
by the government of Hawaii?
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming. No; that i
not true.
Mr.. Plat of Connecticut l so under
stand.
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming. Part Of +
/ was, but the most of it was sold a
auction or in some other way, and
| went into the Golfers of the govern
ment.
| So il seems. Mr.. President, not only
an act OF justice-aS the Senator from
| Connecticut very Well says, Legally
| there is no claim-but morally cn,
equitably, and under all the laws tina
ought to govern a body OF this kind
| something ought to be done to cOrrec
what was done, at least with our con
| nivance, IL not with our concurrence
\ The President pro tempOre. Tn
amendment as modified will be stated
| The Secretary. 1t is proposed &c
add TO section 1O1 the following.
And the sum of $3.50, 600 is hereby ap
propriated. out of any money in III
Treasury not otherwise appropriated
to be paid Liliuokalani, late Queen .
the Hawaiian Islands, in full settle
ment of any claim for any Interest
legal or equitable, she may now hay
or may have had in said crown land
OF the usufruct of the same, and Il
full settlement of any and every cla!1
she may now have or may have m
against the United States and aSains
| the Hawaiian government on any a.
count whatsoever: And provide
further, That said sum OF $4,000
shall, TO that amount, be a charge upo
the revenues OF said lands, and sha
be repaid TO the United States from n
revenues Of said lands in five equal al
nual payments.
Mr.. Morgan. That prOvisO cugl
not TO be IN there
Mr.. Cullom. No.
Mr.. Morgan When those lands We
taken over by the republic they wei
Il -r-a-1a nsN11vnr-f Cd in