The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-03-01
An APPEAL TO CONGRESS
ENABLING ACT CANNOT BE DE
LAYED.
Tells Statesmen OF Condition In Ha-
wall Incident To Plague and Lapse
of the Legislature.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-William o.
Smith, representative of the chamber
of commerce of Hawaii, has addressed
the following letter concerning the sit
uation in the islands to a member of the
House of REPRESENTATIVES:
"The following is a brief statement in
regard to the bubonic plague in Hawaii,
and reasons why an early action should
be taken by congress. The plague APP
peared in Honolulu December last A
strict quarantine was soon established
but the pestilence got byond the con-
traol of the Board of Health and broke
out in different parts of the city. A
considerable area in the central part
of the city was thickly populated with
native Hawaiians, Chinese and Japan
ese This part was without any sys-
tenn of sewerage, and could not be kept
under the circumstances, in desirable
sanitary condition. But 1T was believed
that in this part the disease could not
be eradicated unless radical measures
were taken.
Accordingly, buildings close together
and covering about forty acres OF
ground, have been burned by the Board
of Health. The value of these buildings
and their contents has been carefully
estimated and the total loss cannot be
much less than 100000.
DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES.
"The number of people driven from
their homes, and who are now living
in temporary barracks and in make
shift places, is about 5000. The popu-
lation of the entire group of islands,
by the census of 1896, is 10000. There
fore, about seven per cent of the people
are homeless and without household
goods. If q similar calamity visited the
United States today with similar re-
suits, there would be suddenly thrown
out of their homes, and largely out of
employment, nearly five millions of
persons. These would have to be shell
tered, fed, clothed and provided with
work by the government, which in the
interests of the public had, by Its
supreme power, caused this destruction
of property.
article 81, section 6, of the constitu-
ton of Hawaii, provides that during the
time intervening between the sessions
of the legislature the council of state
may appropriate public money in great
emergencies. This has been done. But
aside from the question of great emer-
| gencies, there are many serious and
most embarrassing questions which
| should be met at once by legislative
measures. Shall the old and narrow
streets of the burned district be
retained? Ought not laws to be
passed opening wider streets, de-
filming the methods of building and
establishing a sanitary system? If
land for new streets should be taken
it must be condemned by law, and
there is no existing law for that pur-
| pose.
COMPENSATION FOR DESTROYED
PROPERTY.
1.-THE thousands of people living in the
! burned district are largely of the poorer
| oil
at once for their destroyed property.
or they will continue to suffer. When
ever the plague is stamped out ques-
| lions will arise at once regarding the
extent of the right to use public mo-
! neys. Nothing will be done toward re-
| building this comparatively large tract
OF forty acres until law is passed di-
recting the way in which it must he
done.
Estimates made of the entire loss of
| property, owing to the necessary burn
ings of buildings, and of the legal
claims upon the government by reason
of this action, place the amount at
about $40 per capita of the entire pop
ulation. The same claim, for losses in
! like proportion, made upon the govern
ment of the United States involving a
charge of $40 per capita, would reach
$780, 100000
"A loss of even $50 900 for which
| the united states was reSpOnSlDle,
would undoubtedly justify the calling
for an immediate session of congress,
and the immediate enactment of legis-
lation to meet the emergency.
ITO delay the passage of bill Great
ing the territory of Hawaii simply in
tensfies the sufferings of 5000 homeless
| people, and casts upon the local gov
eminent and community an intolerable
| burden and embarrassment.
mo loans can be lawfully made 10
| liquidate the many claims arising after
the pestilence is stamped out, because
there is no legislative power to author
ize it. The council of state has no power
to do it. Private charity cannot under
take it in Hawaii any more than it can
in the United States, if the loss was
$700,000,000, or even one-tenth of that
amount
1.-THE territory of Hawaii, small as 1t
is, must stagger under this heavy load
of obligations even with legislative aid.
But to leave it without legislative pow
er is to infiict upon it injustice and
incalculable sufferings."
| ID