The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-15
D|SPENSARY WAR OPENS
BILL INTRODUCED IN SENATE
THIS MORNING.
Government Ownership Of Saloons Is
Proposed-Most Radical Bill Yet
Brought Forward.

The much mooted Dispensary LIQUOR
bin was introduced in the Senate this
morning and rs now in the hands OF
the Printing committee. lt was read
the first time 10y title and went direct
20 the committee, The calculation is
that it Will be taken up next week FOR
final action so far as the upper house
is concerned, although it may be slight
ly sidotracked to follow The county
government bill as throughout the
measure as introduced reference is fire.
quently made to counties and cities and
towns which are not yet organized
nor authorized to be organized
The bill IN the Senate this morning
came from an unexpected source. II
had been calculated all along by out
siders that Or. Russell would be the
sponsor of the measure i'm the upper
course 1t turned out, however. that
the measure came directly from the
natives. Senator Kanuha, of oahu, in
troduced the bill and il was supported
by Senator Kalauokalani, the head of
the Home Rule party. The bill is prac-
tically the same as the one drawn by
Dr. RUSSELL of which details We're Civ
en- in these columns some weeks ago,
except that it does not aim so much
to a money making feature.
Mr.. Kanuha's bill Cor Kalauokalanis s
bill, as the case may be) differs from
ticulars. In the first place, 1t is not
one-fourth as long and has not a half
so much red tape, There is no con-
stable, or spy system under the law.
officers of the department are given
police authority and they alone are eX-
pected to carry out the provisions of
the act.
All of the details of the South Caro-
lima law in regard TO the government
owning and controlling saloons, in
specting liquors, selling in bottles, not
drinking on the premises, etc. etc, are
repeated in the proposed law. A COM
mission of three men to control the
department is provided for, and an
executive officer, to be known as
commissioner, is to be elected by the
Legislature. Local option i'm all cleo
ton precincts as to whether or not
dispensaries may be established in such
precincts is adhered to. Men and wo-
men over p years of age are made
eligible to vote on the question in any
precinct.
The use of opium is also regulated by
the same act. It's sale in the dispen-
saries is authorized, but only on pre-
scription of a physician. A Chnaman
holding a certificate that he is addict
ed to the opium habit may purcnase
all the opium he may require indefinite
ly. The use of ava is regulated in the
same way.
Mr.. Kanuha, the author of the bill,
had this to, say this afternoon in re
gard to his measure: Il am not a
drinking man. In the law l see one
great thing, and that is, providing to
men who drink pure liquors. The bill
we have introduced is iron bound in
this regard. Everything sold by the
dispensaries must be as pure as science
and skill can make 1t. We want no
more poisonous beverages in Hawaii.
They have been the curse of the peo-
pie in the past, and it is now time to
call a halt. We will supply pure stun,
and the purer it is the cheaper it will
be sold So far as l am concerned l
do not care a snap whether the govern
ment makes a cent or not on the sys-
tenn so long as the health of the peo-
pie is preserved. There is provision
1 in the law for a profit, of course. The
money made out of the system will be
used for the advancement OF education
and for the improvement of roads and
/ towns"