The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-04
DEBATE in THE HOUSE
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SENATE HA-
WAItAN BILL DISCUSSED.
Speeches by Mr.. Knox. i'm Charge Of
the Measure. and Representative
Robinson, Of Indiana

WASHINGTON, April 3.-The House to-
day entered on consideration of the SUBJ
stitute for the Senate Hawaiian territorial
bill under special order which will bring
the question to a vote on Thursday after
noon at o'clock. The debate was in COM
mittee of the whole and only three OF the
six speeches were pertinent to the bill.
Mr.. Knox, of Massachusetts. chairman OF
the committee on territories, delivered a
carefully prepared speech in advocacy OF
its passage. Mr.. Robinson, OF Indiana.
criticised a section i'm the bill. which, he
said, continued in force labor contracts
existing i'm Hawaii. denouncing IL as legal
izing system OF wage slavery. Mr. Mon
DELL of Wyoming. spoke generally in sup
port of the bill. Mr.. Lane. of IOWA, one of
the Republicans who opposed the Porto
Rico tariff bill. made a vigorous speech. re-
affirming his position and warning his Re-
publican associates that the country would
not support unfair policy toward the
Porto Ricans. Mr.. Thomas. OF North
Carolina, Mr.. Williams, OF Mississippi. and
Mr.. Boutell, of Illinois. discussed inn
perialism.
While Mr.. Knox was speaking he was
questioned about various sections and pro-
visions of the bill. especially to whether
the Asiatics in Hawaii could enter the
United States He replied that the Chinese
and Japanese in the islands went there for
only a few years stay. Some of them had
left their native land permanently and few
of them would desire to continue their
wanderings to the United States even II
they were allowed TO DO so.
Mr. Robinson devoted much OF his time
20 denunciation of the contract labor
system i'm the Hawaiian islands, which he
characterized practical slavery, and
which, he said, the tenth section OF the
pending bill continued in force 1T means"
said he, that you would cruelty labor on
the cross OF landlordism and money In
Hawaii" He charged the American COM
missioners Senators Cullom and Morgan.
and Representative HitD with having been
seduced and buncoed by President Dole
and Judge Freer, the Hawaiian commits
sioners. But IL must remain for Congress.
he said, to determine whether money was
to be placed above manhood and contract
slave labor above free labor Mr.. Robin
of immigration, showing that about 10000
Japanese had arrived I'm Hawaii under con-
tract since the islands We're annexed The
Republican party, said he, refused TO
pass law in the Fifty-fifth Congress ex-
GLIDING contract labor i'm the Hawaiian
islands; refused to engraft IL on their res
olutions i'm this House. and defeated the
amendment in the Senate. In these islands
for years people have gone like the galley
slave secured TO his dungeon for not
obeying the terms of a civil contract into
which they were induced to enter by the
cupidity of navigation companies and 10
the gain of plantation owners"
During Mr.. Robinson's remarks Mr.. Knox
interrupted to deny that the penal stat
utes regarding contract labor would be
ad I'm
Those statutes" said he. ARE distinctly
repealed by this bill. The trouble with the
gentleman Is that he evidently has not
studied the bill before the House"