The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-17


the Territory, and the opinion of a ma
! jority of all the voters of the Territory
| being an unknown quantity thereon.
! Now, therefore, be it reserved. that
Senate Bill ~, otherwise known as tne
| Dispensary Act, be laid on the table
and that no further action De taken
on the matter until such time as the
electors of this Territory have had a
chance OF expressing their opinion
thereon. at the next general election.
Mr.. Brown went over and emphasized
the various points of the resolution and
closed by saying that if it was a tenn
perance act it would simply raise pan
demonium where this received support.
CThe announcement was here made
that Acts and 4 had been signed by
the Governor.)
Mr.. Russell spoke briefly on the bill
urging its passage and concluded by
saying that all the points made in the
resolution and by Mr. Brown were old.
had already been answered.; no repeti-
ton was needed at this time
Mr.. Baldwin said in part:
The Republican party in the Legisla-
ture has not decided to make the Dis
pensary Act a party vote, either for or
agalnst-each one can vote as he
chooses.
AS a temperance man 1 am fully In
accord with the dispensary idea, which
is supposed to be temperance meas
ure, but l have read over carefully the
bill now before us, and fail to see that
it is temperance measure.
The father of the bill, and also the
introducer, admit it is not temper
motives for introducing the bill seems
to be to turn into the government
treasury some of the large prorits that
are now made by liquor dealers
The bill provides for the unrestricted
manufacture of wine and beer and al
lows distilling throughout the land so
long as a permit to distill is obtained
from the board of control and the par
ties obtaining the permit distil not less
than LOCO gallons a year. Several par
ties can club together and obtain a
permit, and as there is no restriction
as to the nature of the liquors the
people can make for their own use we
will have all kinds of breweries and
distilleries throughout the country, and
in my opinion, general debauchery.
Then, again, 1 don't think that local
option, which is a prominent feature of
the bill, will work as successfully In
this country as it does in other coun-
tries.
In my opinion the bill needs recon
struction, and a great many amend
ments, before 1 could give it my sup
port
But even if this bill had no objection
able features in it, and was a good
measure, l should want to
feel sure that the majority of voters
in the country We're in favor of it be-
fore l voted for it. A radical measure
Of this sort must have the approval
Of a majority of the voters, OF the act
will be repealed at the next session
Of the legislature. 1t is useless for
Us to pass laws that the people must
be good or temperate, if such laws
have not the support and backing of
the people
We have lots of good laws on our
statutes on moral questions that are
dead letters, or are imperfectly car
ried out.
Reformation of the people must be
brought about in the homes of the peo-
pie, in the schools, and in the church.
Raise up a generation that are in ia
Vor of temperance, then temperance
avs will be a success.
| wrote the greater portion of my
for their opinion of this
dill. sending them copies of the same.
Meetings We're held in most of the dis
-ricts of Maui, vote taken and the
result sent me. Most of the districts
we're opposed to the passage of the bill. |
Mr.. President. the bill in its present |
,orm is very Objectionable to me, and !
,or one. I would like to know more |
about dispensary acts in other coun-
Ties, before l would undertake to I
amend it. I therefore favor referring /
I to a commission to report at the I
lext session of the Legislature on this
lct and the liquor question generally. {
n the meantime the people could at .
he next session of the Legislature in
truct their representatives on the sub /
ect.
Mr.. Garter wished to add one point
This was an experimental matter and 7
hey did not know what the people
wanted in this line. Suppose the next
legislature changed its mind, the losses
o the treasury and the people would
e very great. The bill might even fail
Without being given a fair trial, as the
ublic was INCONSISTENT in such matters.
lie did not think the Senate had any
light to experiment without the con-
ent of the people. Personally he be-
eved in high licenses and local option
nd therefore he could not support the
resent bill
Mr.. Kalauokalani said that this was
erhaps the most important measure
hat had been introduced since the days
f the monarchy. In his opinion it was
ertainly the most important to the
ative people. The bill opened the door
o all to manufacture liquor and profit
hereby. 1t is quite true IT reverses the
Id order and transfers control to the
Government. He asked the Senate to
onsider the cost liquor has been. under
he present system, to the people, es-
ecially to the native Hawaiians. Mil
ions upon millions of dollars under the
Id law has gone to the pockets of out
ide manufacturers. The present bill
proposes that this profit may be kept
t home and accrue to the local manu-
acturer. The profits viii go into the
reasury and be spent for the benefit 4,
f the people. Perhaps. as has been,
uggested it might be well to delay the
assage of the act until the people ex-
ress their wish in the matter, but the
peaker was not afraid to risk the vote
ow. He could go into the district of
he Senator from Maui baldwin, and
Verybody would support the measure.
was temperance measure. The peo-
lie would be benefited by this act mas
much as they can sell their products