The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-15
A Favorable Report.

A Favorable Report.
WASHINGTON. January A. The
Senate will dispose of the Hawaiian
question without delay. The Commit
tee on Foreign Relations to-day iiieo
its report on the Cullom bill, whicl f,
tho measure drafted by che HawsiisaA
Commission. consisting of Senators
Cullom and Morgan and Representative
Hit, who visited the islands in the
summer of 1898. The report is favor
able to the bill as it stands and recon-
mends only two or three minor amend
ments.
Chief among the amendments is the
following section: "All sales. grants.
leases and other disposition of the pub
hc domain and agreements concerning
the same and all franchises granted by
the Hawaiian Government in con-
formity with the laws of Hawaii prior
to September IL, 1899. are ratified and
confirmed"
IL is probable that this amendment
will be subjected to close scrutiny be-
cause of certain legislation tha- was
passed by the Hawaiian Legislature in
July, 1898. while Congress was con-
sidering the question of the annexation
OF the islands. Other amendments of
Importance are that the Chief Justice
and Justices of the Supreme Court shall
serve for nine years and nat during
good behavior. as was provided in the
bill. The committee also rec
ommends the appointment of a United
states District Judge at a salary of
$4,000 by the President in addition toI
the other Federal officials named in the
bill. Other amendments recommended
by the COMMITTEE on Foreign Rela-
uons have to do only with matters of
legal phraseology and the simpHfica-
ton of the provisions of the measure.
It is probable that as soon as the
Senate shall have disposed of the cur
rency bill it will take up the Cullom |
bill, providing a government for the
territory of Hawaii, and il is a foregOnel
conclusion that the bill will pass the |
House and the Senate without amend |
ments Of Importance.
The Senate Committee on Commerce
also reported favorably today two bills |
introduced by Senator Frye providing |
'or the extension of the laws relating
10 commerce, navigation and merchant
seamen over the Hawaiian islands and /
Porto Rico
he reporton the Hawaiian bill states
nat about 20 per cent of the trade be-
.ween the islands and the United States
5 carried on in American vessels, or
-SO, ,i66 tons in American bottoms and
.Ol,264 tons in foreign bottoms. II rec
'mmends that all vessels owned by citi-
,ens of the Hawaiian islands be ac-
'orded registrationin the United States.
IS was done at the time OF the acquisi-
ion OF Alaska and Louisiana. IL dis
Improves, however, of the registration
" vessels admitted to Hawaiian regis
ry since the annexation to this cOun-
ry
Both the Hawaiian and Porto Rican
ills provide that coasting trade be-
ween those islands and any other pOr-
ions of the United States shall be regu-
ated in accordance with the provisions
4 law applicable 70 such trade between
ny two great cOasting districts.
Representative GrOsvenOr OF Ohio.
hartman of the House Committee on
Merchant Marine and Fisheries. has in
reduced in the House bills identical
With the Frye bills, according Ameri-
an registry 10 Hawaiian and Porto
llcan vessels.
A Railroad Boom.
TACOMA. (Washl. December 81
!. z. Condor, railroad contractor of