The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-01-16
THE CULLOM
BILL IS SHOW
Measure May Soon be
Enacted.
ARE ONLY A FEW CHANGES
Hawaiian Railway Outlook -Conven-
ton Delegates = Sam Parker's
Return to Washington.

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
will meet tomorrow to consider the
nil providing a government for the Ha-
saiian Islands. Senator Cullom, the
author of the bill, said to-day that he
hoped it would be reported soon, and
added that as soon as possible after the
action of the committee he would ask
lie Senate TO take the bill up for con-
sideration. So far as has been made
known there is no general opposition
to the bill, though some of its features
will be antagonized. \ few Senators
are urging that the measure be amend
ed so as to leave the customs laws APP
plying to the islands as they now stand,
and to omit the provision for Dele
gate in Congress for the present, be-
cause of the possible effect of this
provision of the Constitution in the in
terest of Porto Rico and possibly in the
interest of the Philippines, to say moth
ing of Cuba.
A Favorable Report.
WASHINGTON, January A. The
Senate will dispose of the Hawaiian
question without delay. The Commit
Zee on Foreign Relations to-day filed
its report on the Cullom bill, which is
the measure drafted by the Hawaiian
. Commission. consisting of Senator'S
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
lc 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 II, 1899, are ratified and
confirmed"
1t Is probable that this amendment
will be subjected to close scrutiny be-
cause of certain legislation that 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 MT during
good behavior, as was provided in the
original bill The committee also rec
.ommends the appointment of United
States District Judge at salary OF
$4,000 by the President in addition to
the other Federal officials named in the
bill. Other amendments recommended
by the COMMITTEE on Foreign Rela-
tions have to do only with matters of
legal phraseology and the simplitica-
ton OF the provisions of the measure
1t is probable that as soon as the
shall bava dicnnSa1 of the pur-
rency bill it will take up the Cullom
bill, providing a government for the
territory of Hawaii, and it is a foregone
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
for the extension Of the laws relating
to commerce, navigation and merchant
seamen over the Hawaiian islands and
Porto Rico.
The report on the Hawaiian bill states
that about rs per cent of the trade be-
tween the islands and thesUnited States
is carried on in American vessels, or
290,766 tons in American bottoms and
101 ,264 tons in foreign bottoms 1t rec
Dmmends that all vessels owned by citi-
Zens OF the Hawaiian islands be ac-
corded registrationjn the United States,
as was done at the time of the acquisi-
ton of Alaska and Louisiana. 1t dis
approves, however, of the registration
of vessels admitted to Hawaiian regis
Try since the annexation to this coun-
Try.
Both the Hawaiian and Porto Rican
bills provide that coasting trade be-
tween those islands and any other por-
tions of the United States shall be regu-
lated in accordance with the provisions
of law applicable to such trade between
any two great coasting districts.
Representative Grosvenor of Ohio,
chairman of the House Committee on
Merchant Marine and Fisheries, has In
troduced in the House bills identical
with the Frye bills, according Ameri-
can registry to Hawaiian and Porto
RIcan vessels.
A Railroad Boom.
TACOMA, (Wash), December a.
r. l.. Condor, a railroad contractor OF
Chicago, arrived today from Honolulu.
He brings news that a regular railroad
boom has struck Hawaii and next year
will see more railroads built than the
islands now possess. Plans laid call for
the construction of about 300 miles
within twelve months, The largest part
Of these will be built, he says, by Thorn
as l.. Johnson and Albert Johnson of
Cleveland, O., who have formed a
strong Eastern syndicate for that pur-
pose,
Their project includes several lines OF
electric railroad in Honolulu and at
other places on the island of Oahu.
Ferry-bOats will ply between the ter
mini of these lines and the various
islands. Work will commence in Feb
ruary, the Johnsons having already or
dered much of their material
The Kohala and Hilo Railway Com
pany VIII soon let a contract for the
first section of its electric road from
Honolulu to Kohala. This road will be
1870 miles in length, costing $2,3OO,OOO,
road :