The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-04
THE HAWAIIAN BILL UP
Debate on the Senate Measure Be
gins in the House.
Its Passage Advocated by Represeu-
tntive knOx-Mr. Robinson speaks
IsInnd-Mr. Lanes Delayed ArEu-
ment on the Porto Ricnn Question.

The Senate bill to provide a form oi
Government for the Territory of Hawaii
with the House substitute therefor, was
taken up in the House yesterday and the
afternoon was spent in general debate. The
principal speeches were by Mr.. Knox OF
Massachusetts, in charge Of the bill. upon
| its merits Mr.. Robinson of Indiana, who
/ spoke against the labor conditions in the
island and charged the Republican party
with a desire to exploit them by contract
labor and by Mr.. Lane Of Iowa. who made
a delayed speech against the Porto Rican
Tariff bill. not having been in the House
/ while it was being considered.
At the opening Of the session OF the
House the Speaker laid before that body
a message from the President transmitting
a report from f. W Peck. Commissioner
! to the Paris Exposition
A bill was passed authorizing soldiers.
| sailors. and marines who served in the
| Spanish war to enter lands under the
| Homestead law. and to have the time they
served credited on their entries.
! Mr. Cooper. Chairman of the Committee
| on Insular Affairs asked unanimous con-
sent for the consideration of a bill to au-
| thorize the Secretary Of the Treasury 10
designate Government repositories in Porto
Rico. Cuba, and the Philippines.
| Mr.. Brewer Of Alabama objected.
The Hawaiian Bill.
| Under a special order the House went
into Committee of the Whole to consider
the Hawaiian Civil Government bill. The
debate is to last until Thursday. on which
| day, at O'Clock. the vote is to be taken.
Mr.. Knox. Chairman OF the Committee
! on Territories made the opening speech.
| To discuss the desirability and wisdom
/ OF annexation OF the Hawaiian Islands
upon the pending measure would be
/ neither profitable nor pertinent" said Mr..
Knox NO public question has received
| greater consideration at the hands Of the
American people for the larger part OF
the century now closing. 1t has been de-
! bated in Congress and in the popular
forum. 1t has been the subject of numer-
Gus executive messages. and two treaties
/ for annexation have failed OF ratification.
| The literature upon the subject is ex-
( haustless, and he who would seek for
! reasons for or against annexation has the
| source Of supply ever ready and close at
! hand. But while there has been differ
/ ence Of opinion as to the annexation Of
/ the islands there has been no difference
, Of opinion upon the position always as
sumed by the nation that the possession
OF the islands by any foreign nation would
be a menace and danger to the United
States.
The discussion upon the subject ter
minated suddenly and Unexpectedly when
the events Of the Spanish war made gen
orally apparent the strategic necessity Of
the Hawaiian Islands to the United States.
Lying two thousand miles to the south
west Of San francisco. they furnish the
only naval base in all the vast north
Pacific Ia all this expanse of water they
are the only place where coal or supplies
can be obtained"
MIR. RobinSon's Views.
The next speaker was Mr.. Robinson OF
! Indiana, who devoted himself to a discus
sion Of the labor question in Hawaii,
which he said he approached with feelings
Of sadness as well as Of responsibility.
This bill" he said nowhere and in
no wise protects or encourages American
labor here or there, and this policy is in
, keeping with the actions Of this and the
last Congress. It is time to call a halt
and to make an enquiry. You of the ma
jorty have done nothing. absolutely moth
ing, to prohibit the importation of con-
tract labor into the Hawaiian Islands. be-
cause you believe you can exploit them
for commercial ends-the only motive that
moves you-better by contract labor. The
provisions of the bill mean that 40. 900
! laborers' contracts shall be continued in
! force and that the penal proceedings to
enforce them shall continue: that slave
| men shall be imprisoned for failure to
keep a civil contract: they mean that in
voluntary seryitude shall exist In the mills
| and on the plantations; that Involuntary
imprisonment with a felon S stripes shall
| be the remedy for enforcing civil rights
| between the favored masters of Hawaii
| and the Cringing contract labor slaves.
| they mean that you would cruelty labor
on the cross OF landlordism and money in
| Hawaii.
Since the act Of annexation in 1898. ." Mr.
Robinson said. 40 GOO alien contract la
borers had been imported into the islands
and they were taken there for the money
that is in them"
The speaker spent some time in a re-
view Of contract labor legislation and ac-
ton IN Hawaii since annexation, asserting
that all the island officials were interested
IN furthering it, Il it were argued that
the labor contracts could not be repealed
because of the constitutional prohibition
against impairiug contracts. it was alsc
true hat the thirteenth amendment to the
Constitution forbade involuntary seryitude
except as punishment for crime After
describing the operations Of the contract
system In Hawaii. Mr.. Robinson concluded.
The Dole official family enforces these
uorarious practices, and the Supreme
Court decides that they are not in contra
.eutiou of the Hawaiian constitution.
What DO Americans think OF such ju-
dietary. such officials. such slavery?
What is TO be expected from a g-v-
ernment of slave owners. slave drivers.
slavery apologists. Let US call upon the
| press to protect labor against such abuses
| on the pulpit to denOunCr the crying evil
| and may we not hope that Congress viii
crush it now and forever. and its members
/ be held responsible to labor for a continJ-
auce Of this Infamous contract labor sys-
tenn"
Mr.. Lane Of Iowa. who was ua- ir the
/ citv at the time the Porto Rican Tariff
bin was being considered in the Huuse.
and who yainly desired to be paired
against it made a speech on that ILL He
| said that he believed the Constitution
! applied TO the new possessions of the
country only so far as Congress eE-
| tended it by law. But the time had
come when Congress should give Porto
! Rico civil government and make
/ just and right Mr. Lane said. and I warn
you" ne added with emphasis. THAT ULCU-
| ever the standard Of right and justice
main aimed by any political party differs
| from that OF the people upon any great
question. that party goes down to defeat
! The discussion was further continued by
! Mr. Thomas Of North Carolina who made
| a speech again expansion, by Mr. Mondell
Of Wyoming who apostrophized the beau
! ~ and value of the Hawaiian Islands and
| expressed his qualification that the Stars
and Stripes hoated there; by Mr. Williams
| OF Mississippi who dismissed the mis-
| sion" and manifest destiny" arguments
| Of the materialistiC interests that advo-