Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-06
56th CONGRESS,
The House Still at Work on
the Hawaiian Bill.
Labor Contracts AnnuIIed AMI Alien
Contract Labor to Be Abolished.
Sale oil Liquor In Saloons Prohibiied-Ihe
Naval Bill Reported.

Washington, April 5.-The House did
not finish the bill to provide territorial
government for Hawaii today. When
the hour fixed for taking a vote, 4
O'Clock, arrived, less than half the bill
had been covered and so many amend
ments remained that it was agreed to
continue consideration under the 5
minute rule until it was finished. Sev
eral important amendments We're
agreed to. among them the following
To nullify any labor contracts in the
islands; to extend the alien contract
labor laws to the islands; to prohibit
the sale of intoxicating liquors in
saloons; to limit the landholdings of
corporations to 1000 acres and 10 sub
Stitute for the House prol ision relat-
ing to the appointment Of judges and
other officers Of the island. the Senate
provision. The House provision lodged
the appointing power in the governor.
the Senate placed ii i'm the President
An additional urgent deficiency car
rying $ir5. 900 FIR the fees NJ United
marshals, jurors. ctc-. Was passed. The
naval appropriation bill was presented
by Foss. H.. acting chairman Of the
committee. and Wheeler. Ky. present
I'd a minority report against certain
features Of the bill.
The House then resumed The c0neii-
Grafton of thu Hawaiian territorial bill.
Under the order the clork began read
ing the BIN FIR amendment under the
5-minute rule.
Dcarmond. No. moved To- strike out
81.
ana all Laws of the United States H.
cally applicable ID the Islands. thu
words TN, constitution and" The
The amendment was in line with De
armoud's speech IF Tuesday. in which
he argued that The corstiiuti. a.
ready extended over lhr islands ana
that If IL ala not Congress was power
less to project there. Knox opposed
the amendment. which he sail raised
tn" Who'll" question as to the extension
IF the constitution upon which the
House was divided. The amendment
was lost. 7S to 81.
When Section 10. which enforced the
obligation II contracts in Hawaii w
penal statutes was reached. Know
chairman of the committee. offered the
foll wing amendment to b. added To-
the section: provided. that no suit
or proceedings shall b. maintained for
the specific performance VI any con-
tract heretofore pr hereafter entered
into for personal labor or sevice; no-
shall any remedy exist or be enforc-
ed for breach Of any such contract ex-
cept in civil suit or proceeding inSti-
tutcd solely TO recover damages for
such breach: provided. further that
the provisions Of this section shall not
apply to merchant saamen." Tho
amendment. ne explained. WAS 4, sig
mated to prevent the criminal prusccU-
tion of contract lahorers who violated
their contracts. The amendment Wa
adopted 40 to a..
Robinson. Ind, offered an amend
ment t. nullfy all labor contracts
made since the date of annexation and
privilege that hereafter no law should
amendment was adopted A. to A.
Hit. Ill, stated that Section Of
the bill. which extended the laws Of
the United Safes to Hawaii. covered
the whole subject and that by the
terms Of the act of 1878 it terminated
all contracts with Chinese or Orientals
4 further amendment was adopted
specifically extending the provisions Of
the alien contract labor law to the is
lands
Gillett. Mass. offered an amend
ment to prohibit the sale of intoxica-
ting liquors in saloons in Hawaii The
amendment would not prohibit the sale
in the saloons where men gathered
He thought some such provision
should 60 into the bill and that the
s.h no IoF h.. I
lature of Hawaii. Knox opposed the
amendment. He thought the subject
should be left to the Legislature Of the
islands.
Fitzgerald Mass, took the same po-
sition. Such a law, he said, would be
a farce Public opinion did not sustain
prohibition. He cited the case of
Maine. The prohibition law was a
dead letter in that state, he said
Littlcfield, Nc, challenged Fitzgerald
to place his finger on spot or place
where liquor was sold openly in saloons
in Maine.
Fitzgerald said it was sold every
where ana finally compelled LittIefeld
to admit that it could be procured" at
almost any place.
Proceeding. LttIefield said it was the
policy of the civilized world to prohibit
the sale of Intoxicating liquors among
uncivilizrd people If the Anglo Saxon
race was in control he would not favor
thu amendment. But as il was not. h.
thought the aRendment should b.
adopted.
Finley. y. G.. said there We're physio-
logical reasons why it would be- well
(rOntinued on mage -