The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-18
AGREEMENT ON HAWAIIAN BILL.
The Senate Conferees Yield to the House
Measure.
fRy the Associated Press. J


Washington. April 17.-After extended
meetings an unanimous agreement was
reached by the Senate and House con-
ferees on the Hawaiian Government Bill.
AS it went to conference the House sub
stituted an entirely new measure previ-
ously enacted by the Senate. The Sen
ate conferees yielded to the House mea-
sure as a whole, although number of
amendments were made. In the main,
the form of government as finally deter
mined upon is that provided by the
House. The main amendments are in
providing a district court instead of the
Federal court organized under general
laws and the striking out of the House
provision postponing for one year the
time for applying the coasting laws to
Hawaii The prohibition of saloons in
Hawaii as provided by the House Bill is
retained in modified form, in effect
leaving the matter to local option. The
House provisions as to the land laws are
retained including the amendment OF
Representative Newlands, of Nevada, re-
stricting the amount of land to be held
by a corporation to 1000 acres. The
other Newlands amendment providing
for commission to investigate the labor
question in Hawaii is changed so that
Commissioner of Labor Wright will con-
duct the inquiry. The appointment of
circuit judges which was the subject of
rather earnest difference was finally de-
cided by leaving the appointments with
the President.
The bill establishes a complete form of
government for the islands with gov
ernor and other executive officers, leg
islature of two branches and a judicial
branch consisting of a Supreme court.
Circuit courts and inferior courts.
The bill provides that Hawaii shall be
represented in Congress by delegate
who shall have a seat in the House of
Representatives with a right OF debate,
but not vote The delegate to Congress
is to be chosen at an election OF the
people. There is no tariff provision OF
the bill as the tariff laws of the United
States are extended over the island and
the territory of Hawaii is specifically
made "a customs district Of the United
States" with ports of entry at Honolulu,
Hilo, Mahukona and Kahului
AS to the crown lands which have been
the source of some controversy, it is pro-
vided. '"That the portion of the public
domain heretofore known as crown land
is hereby declared to have been on Au-
gust, 18th, 1885, and prior thereto, the
property of the Hawaiian Government,
and to be free and clear from any trust
of or concerning the same, and from all
claim of any nature whatsoever, upon
the rents, issues and profits thereon. 1t
shall be subject to alienation and other
uses as may be provided by law.
The Chinese on the island are given one
year to obtain certificates of residence,
but the conferees struck out the amend
ment inserted by Representative Dear
mond. of Missouri, providing that all
Chinese and other Asiatics" arriving
since the island was acquired by the
United States shall depart within one
year or else be deported by the Govern
ment This latter provision was omitted
in view of the belief that the Japanese
have secured treaty status in Hawaii,
and that their forcible deportation by the
United States would invite serious and
needless breach with Japan