The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-30
wILCoxs COMMENT STARTS A
DISCUSSION.
Home Rulers Think Was No Failure
But Blame Republicans for Short
comings-Cecil Browns Opinion.

There is a decided disagreement be-
tween members of the Legislature as
to whether the two sessions of the
Legislature of 1901 were failures or not.
and, if failures, as to the side of the
house to blame for such failures. The
Home Rulers claim that they were
handicapped by the Executive and say
that they did the best they could. On
the other hand the Republicans claim
that the opposition was in the majority
and could have done anything it wanted
to. They also say that the majority
wound up by doing nothing except OBJ
structing the intelligent measures of
the Republicans
Delegate Wilcox says the Legislature
was a failure and that the president
and congress thinks so, and that the
statehood of the territory has not been
advanced any.
Senator Kalauokalani tosses the
blame fer any shortcomings over to
Governor Dole and the Republicans in
the Legislature. As to the failure of
the Legislature this year he said: Il
am not so sure that failure has been
made. What work we did was good
work We were blocked constantly
during both the sessions, and l think
we did as well as anybody else could
have done under the circumstances.
Before expressing an opinion in regard
to the failure of the Legislature l would
prefer to consult with Mr.. Wilcox. L
may say, however, that it had never
occurred to me that we had made a
failure of it. l think, all in ALL that
good work was done"
Mr.. Kalauokalani laid the blame for
any shortcomings at the feet of Cover
nor Dole, whom he accused of blockln"
legislation from the very beginning OF
the regular session.
"Why we had a good time, passed
some laws and now we are going
home" facetiously replied Senator
White. 1T is true that Colonel Ma
yuma did not come around as often
as he might, but that omission cannot
be charged to the Legislature. so far
as the Home Rulers are concerned,
their work was all right. 1t was Cecil
Brown and his gang that kept things
back. They started out the very hrst
day to block measures that we knew
were good and had planned out after
weeks of hard work. All of these were
in the interest of the country and the
people.
"I deny that our majority cut any
figure in the matter of legislation. We
started ont with the idea of Fivin@ tins
Republican minority fair show ano
a clean field This was done in all mat
ters, as far as L remember. From
the start the minority was given the
floor whenever it wanted it. There was
never any combination on our side OF
the house to defeat desirable or even
reasonable legislation; but, on the other
hand, Republican measures received
the same attention as those comlno
from our side.
at think we did all that could reason
ably be expected of us, and L believe
our constituents will feel the same way
when they hear our reports. L realz'
that a great deal has been said al
over the Islands about the Legislature
and the opinion of the recent sessions
is not good. AS 1 said before however
with the coldness of the Executive tow
ard us and the constant fight OF tn
Republicans against us, 1t seems 10 III
that we have done well"
Representative F. w. Beckley, tn
young Home Rule leader of the lowe
house, said: "I understand that Wilco
has said that the Legislature was
failure. Well, 1 think he has been
failure, and there you are. SO tar a
the Home Rule party is concerned thl
Legislature has not been a tallure. l
has not accomplished much, but In III
face of the obstacles encountered b
lis l think we have done remarkaDl
we'll and l believe our constituents WI
approye our work People-WilcoX In
cluded-do not remember the fact troI
the very beginning we had the stronges
of opposition on the part of the Execu
- tive to fight. At the very outset an
continuously thereafter, the ExecutiV
tried to lord it over the Legislature a
they did in the years of the Republic
We would not stand for it and tha
hampered work. But suppose we ha
submitted to Executive control?-whf
would have been the situation tw
4 years hence? 1t would have been
! thousand times worse than this tim
The Executive would then have come
as boss supreme and would have poin
ed to our session for a precedent. S
you see that it was not so much tn
session but future sessions of the TIE
ritorial Legislature that we were lool