The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-04-23
THE MERCHANTS
HOLD CONFERENCE

Tho Merchants Protective Aaaociation
held two meetings yesterday. one iu tho
forenoon aud the other In the afternoon
both TO consider the changes necessary
TO mako tie charter Conformablo to tho
law ana SO consider the question OF nd.
Vertsing Honolulu on tho Mainland
through the medium OF lecturers. stcrrop-
icons and other devices calculated to
catch the fancy OF people
one OF the most important matters
considered was that OF the present bill I'm
the Legislature relating TO the license
bill now pending IN the Senate. This IL
the substitute bill which proposes a IL
cense tax OF two-eighths OF / per cent
as means Of obtaining revenue from
the merchants OF the Territory.
The Merchants Protective Association
Ia against the fixing OF n license fee for
the snle OF their wares In the Territory.
ana mainly on the ground that outside
business houses are not now required to
pay license. a committee was appoint
ed yesterday afternoon to consult an at
torney on the question of the constitu-
tionality OF the licenst proposed by the
Legislature and he guided I'm their deal
lngs with the Legislature accordingly. IL
the advice is that the license proposed ia
not constitutional, then the Association
VIII combat the bill. which is now being
made ready for Its final passage. On the
! other hand, If 1t Is shown that the Ii
cen5e law is constitutional, then the AS
ISOLATION VIII present its proposition as
/ to what 1t considers n fair license fee
/ per annum for doing business
I AT the morning meeting a proposition
was presented by Mr.. Wichman for Mr.
| Fred. Terrill Offering to advertise Ho-
nolnlu for the Association by lectures,
moving pictures, etc. He proposed to
commence his campaign of education
east of the Rocky Mountains and take In
the entire country between tnat range
and the Atlantic Coast. He asks the As
ISOLATION to grant him $500 to purchase
his outfit and $3.50 a month for salary and
s'5 Tor an assistant. He asks that the
Association guarantee payment of his ex-
penses.
None of the merchants expressed
themselves as satisfied with the present
exhibit of Hawaii at the Pan-American
Exposition.
The afternoon session was attended by
Chairman Fred MacIarlane, Secretary
w. w. Harris, II. c. Wichman, George
w. Smith, II. Lewis. Oscar White, Il. A.
Mclnerny, w. w. Dimond, Mamie Phil
lips, J. G. Rothwel w. II. Auerbach,
Mr.. LANCE.
Chairman Macfarlane stated that the
charter had come back to lie Associa-
lion in an unfinished form and changes
mad to be made according to the sugges-
tons of the Attorney General before II
could have the signature of the Govern
or. The bylaws of the Association had
been embodied in the original charter,
winch was contrary to the law. The by
laws would have to be kept separate,
Mr.. Holmes, the attorney WHO had drawn
up the papers. had the matter in hand
ana was Fastening the work. The COW
eted signatures he hoped to secure during
the afternoon. so that the Association
could commence an active campaign on
the license bills pending in the Legisla-
ture with legal backing as an organized
body.
A.essrs. Auerbach. White and Dimond
woe appointed committee of three to
revise the charte~ with Mr.. holmes, and
complete 1t at the earliest possible date.
1t was pointed out that there was like
hhood OF the bill passing the Senate this
morning and no time should be lost.
hartman Macfarlane thought the or
ganizatfon was sufficiently intact for the
members to 20 ahead as body under
the charter and work on the plans al
ready outlined.
G. ". Smith asked that prompt action
be taken by the Association on the H.
cense measure. He Thought 1t a sound
tang to employ legal assistance to as
certain the law on the subject. The
fore the courts in the end
1t was proposed by one Of the MEM
oers that If necessary the Association fix
upon the following rates for suggestion
TO the Legislature: $50 for wholesale IL
cense. $40 for retail license. $37. so for ped
dlers license. Mr.. Phillips stated he had
mad conversations with Senator Russell
on the subject and that solon was not in
favor OF licenses. Mr.. Carter he said.
had characterized the bill as unjust. but
still the country had to have revenue.
MIR. Smith stated that the merchants in |
San Francisco paid no licenses such as |
the Legislature would require here II |
was also pointed out that --rever & Co,
and other sugar factors didn't pay IL
censes, yet they did larger commission
business many many licensed corpora
lions did.
Nichman asked for the sense of the
meeting on the subject. He was willing
to pay license If that was the sense OF
the Association
Mr.. Auerbach suggested that the sugar
factors or commission houses he COM
PEELED to pay n license tax of $500 VI the
merchants had to pay for licenses.
Mr. Smith moved that It be the sense
of the Association that 1t does not an
prove OF the payment OF any licenses in
this country. Mr. Wchman did not
think such n proposal to the Legislature
"oulu stanu nfe, ana he urged that
better be advanced.
1--WE are not going to vote for licenses
for ourselves when the foreign drummers
do not pay It," said Mr.. Smith.
IF It is unconstitutional, we don't
want to pay the license, not simply be-
cause we don't want TO pay such a fee,"
said the chairman. IF 1t is constitu-
tional, wen pay It,"
Mr.. Smith advised leaving all this to a
committee and the latter be authorized
10 employ legal counsel and be guided by
the advice received. Carried.
1t was stated that when the foreign
drummer's license tax matter came up
Judge Sllliman voiced his sentiments On
the matter OF licenses for the benefit OF
the Association ne declaring them to oe
unconstitutional
II. c. Macfarlane did not want any red
tape wound round the committee. The
lItAll iDD llnIll