The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-19
GOVERNMENT FOR HAWAII.
WILL BE GIVEN FULL RIGHTS AS
A TERRITORY.
Hill Introduced by senator Cuilom
Substantially the same ms Tint
which Failed in Last Congress-
Branding seals by Electricity.

enactment of Hawaiian legislation as GER
tain, and Is confident that "A code of laws
embodying q government for Porto kico
will be passed. lie does not expect, how
ever, that there will be any serious at
tempt at legislation at this session for
Guam and the other Pacific islands, other
than Hawaii, coming under the Jurisdic-
ton of his committee.
The Hawaiian bill now pending, having
been introduced by Senator Cullom. Is
substantially Identical with that reported
to the last congress by the Hawaiian COM
mission. but which failed of enactment
into law.
Senator Cullom's bill provides that all
persons who were citizens OF the republic
OF Hawaii on August II, 1898, shall be citi-
zens of the United States. The title OF
the territory shall be the territory Of Ha-
wall, with the capital at Honolulu.
The constitution and laws OF the Unit
ed States are to be locally applicable. with
certain exceptions, and they shall have
the same force and effect within the ter
ritory as elsewhere in the united States.
provided that sections 1850 and 1890 of the
Revised Statutes of the United States
shall not be applicable to the new terri
tory. The laws of Hawaii not inconsst-
ent with the constitution or laws of the
United States shall continue in force. sub
1ect to repeal or amendment by the leg
islature OF Hawaii or the congress of the
United States.
The governor shall be responsible for
the faithful execution of the laws of the
United States and of the territory of Ha-
wall and whenever it becomes necessary
he may call upon the commanders of the
military and naval forces of the United
states in the territory of Hawaii, or sum-
mon the peace comitatus, or call out the
militia of the territory to prevent or sup
press lawless violence, invasion. insurrec-
nd ha IN i'm f..l- of
fepeilon or INVASION, or imminent dan
ger thereof, when the public safety re-
CURES II. suspend the privilege of the
tial law.
Quarantine stations shall be established
at such places as the supervising surgeon
general of the marine hospital service of
the United States. shall direct, and the
quarantine regulations relating to the in1-
portation of diseases from other countries
shall be under the control of the gov
eminent Of the United States. The quar-
antine station and grounds at the harbor
of Honolulu, together with all the public
property belonging to that SERVICE shall
be transferred to the marine hospital SER
vice OF the United States, and these quar-
antine grounds shall continue to be so
used and employed until the station is
changed by order of the secretary of the
The health laws Of the government of
Hawaii relating to the llarbor of Honolulu
and other harbors and inlets from the sea
OF the ISLANDS shall remain in the Juris-
diction Of the government of the terri
Tory or Hawaii, subject to the quarantine
laws and regulations of the United States:
and the United States shall sustain one
half of the. cost and maintenance and
execution OF the health establishment of
the government relating to the leper set
tfemert on the island OF Molokai and the
leper hospital at Kalihi, and the homes
at which the children of lepers are re-
ceiyea ana cared for on the island Of
MUIOkat and at kalihi.
All laws of the republic of Hawaii which
confer exclusive fishing rights upon any
person or persons shall be repealed and
all fisheries in the sea waters of the ter
ritory not included in any fish pond or
artificial incloosure shall be free to all cit
liens of the United States, subject how
eyer, 10 vested rights. Chinese in the
Hawaiian Islands may within one year
obtain certificates of residence as requir-
Of Chinese persons into the United
states, approved May 5, 1892, as amend
ed by the act approved November 3, 1898
and until the expiration of the year shall
not be deemed to be Ilnlawfuily in the
United States il found therein without
such certificates.
branding Seals.
A new use for electricity is suggested by
Gov Brady, of Alaska, who wants 1t used
for branding seals. instead of the present
cumbersome fire-heated iron. Coy. Blady
told the treasury officials that if every fe-
male seal were electrically branded with
the letters ~. s." four inches in length
s and o half IA, an inch in width. the pelasic
seaier5 business would soon become SO
Improbable that the seal question would
be settled, since 50 per cent. of the seals
illegally killed are females, and the brand
would ruin the skin for the use of the
prospective furrier.
The treasury department is urged to
sehd force or men fully equipped for
the work to Alaska, and let them take in
hand the project. The stockmen of the
plains, says the governor, have found
electricity to be infinitely more expedi-
tious than the old method and he argues
that it should be doubly SO with the thin
coated seal. Many OF the mammals have
been already branded, says the governor
but with the clumsiest of apparatus, and
The branded seals suffer as little from
the operation as do quadrupeds" says
GOV Brady, and the Introduction OF this
system will speed the branding, which APP
pears to he the only method By which We
can prevent extinction of the species"
Is Electricity Dutiabie:
Government, experts will shortly deliver
sound legal opinion on the nature of
electricity, and thus officially decide
whether that subtle force is fluid, or am
article, or a WHAT
The curious question has come I'D at
the treasury whether electricity is duti-
able. The Dineley tariff act is silent on
the subject. The dynamo that generates
the mighty but invisible fluid can be taxed ;
the wire II travels on is dutiable, as well
as the various instruments that depend on
electricity for their usefulness, but cleo
TRICKY lself IS not regarded as a Commod-
ity that must pay q duty. The question
comes from Niagara Falls, and, so far.
the whole matter is Hypothetical The
Americans interested want to furnish cleo
tricity to parties on the Canadian side,
and there are parties on the Canadian
side who propose to sci! power 10 the
American side of the river.
The matter has been brought before As
sistant Secretary Spauding in order to get
q decision or expression of views. whirh
may govern In the investment of further
capital in the electrical enterprises pro-
posed at the falls. The tariff laws are
silent on all similar substances. some
years ago the department rendered a de-
eision that natural gas was not dutfable.
because 1t Was not an article. IL does
gas is taxable. If the department shoild
decide TO regard gas or electricity duiiahIe.
the matter OF inspection. appraisement
and the measure of duty to be laid would
be interesting, II not difficult. question to