The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-06
.EMMELUTH SCORES DOLE
ANIMATED DEBATE ON THE FIRE
CLAIMS.
Judiciary Committee to Report on
Claims Commission Bill and Finance
Committee on Means to Pay.

The only real debate in the House OF
Representatives this morning was on
the Chinatown fire claims. 1t was
precipitated by a motion by Emmeluth
in relation to Gilfillan's bill, House Bill
1 No. 4, providing for a commission to
| adjudicate these claims, and for an
| appropriation of over 100000 to pay for
| the adjudication.
Emmeluth's motion was as follows:
THAT House Bill No. be referred to
special committee, with instructions
to report to this house their findings
and recommendations thereon; that
! said committee be and is hereby direct
ed to bring in companion bill provid-
ing for the payment of all claims imme-
diately after the same shall be deter
mined under the provisions of House
! Bill No. L."
! Representative Makekau said he fav-
ored the resolution except that part of
it which provided for a companion bill
| During the debate there was consider
able back and forth talk between EN-
meluth and Makekau.
| Emmeluth supporting his motion
! said: "On the twentieth of this month
year ago the fire in Chinatown took
place. The people who lost by that fire
are still waiting for whatever compen-
sation is due them. And they will wait
! till kingdom come for it if this bill No
]
companion bill. l am surprised that
Representative Makekau should OBJ
/ Ject to the companion bill. Aesterday
| he was on the floor urging that claims
of the poor as against the rich In this
very matter of compensation. What
benefit will it be to the poor If court
of claims is established but no provision
made for paying the claims when as
certained. A year ago a commission
was appointed at the direction of the
! President at Washington to adjudcate
| this matter. That commission fell flat
because of the lack of backbone eX-
| hibited at that time. This bill provides
that the Governor shall appoint one OF
| the members of this commission
shall work against and refuse to vote
for this Bill No. 4 until a companion
bill is brought in providing for the pay
ment of the claims. / do not think that
| Governor Dole or anybody else, who
showed as little backbone as he did in
this matter should have any say in the
appointment of this commission"
Representative Beckley thought that
if the House thought it proper to en-
tertain a bill of this kind 1t was also
proper to entertain bill providing for
the payment of the claims when esta-
blished. He had some doubts of the
wisdom of the bill. 1t created a COM
mission which would last two years
perhaps and the bill itself showed that
1t would be an extensive one.
Representative Robertson said that
while the determination of the claims
and their payment were connected they
were different matters. The bill pro-
viding for the court might properly go
to the judiciary committee. While
the appropriation for the payment of
them was properly a matter of finance.
There was difference of opinion as to
how the claims should be paid. Some
favored a bond issue. some favored a
special tax. Some favored paying out
of general revenues. 1t was a very i'm
portant matter. To refer it to a spe-
cial committee would be to refer it to
three members. To refer it to the ju-
dietary committee and then direct the
finance committee to consider ways and
means of paying these claims, would
give the subject and the house the
benefits of the work and thought of ten
members.
Emmeluth said he was willing to ac-
cept Robertsons ideas of the best me-
thod of procedure, and permission be-
ing granted. he withdrew his motion for
a special committee anu a companion
bill and moved the reference of the bill
to the judiciary committee This mo-
tion prevailed. Robertson then offered
the following resolution which was also
adopted.
Resolved that the committee on
finance be requested to forthwith take
up the consideration of the matter of
the ways and means of paying claims
referred to in House Bill No. 4, and that
they submit bill or bills to provide
such ways and mans"
The House then took a recess to 2
o'clock.