The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-07
READY TO
WORK.
Legislature Will
Meet Very
Soon.
IMPORTANT BILLS
TO BE ACTED UPON
The Session Will Be Called To
Order February 20, in
the Old Rooms.

February 20, Senators and Repre-
sentatives will assemble in the throne
room and in the upper hall that once did
duty as a banquet-room for royalty
Thirty desks are already in place in
the throne-room for the accommodation
of as many Representatives, while fifteen
more are ready to be placed in the hall
for the Senators. The law prescribes
that the session shall last for three
months. but should the business to be
transacted necessitate more time, then
shall the session be extended for thirty
days more upon the order of the Gov
error
Just who will be President of the SEN
ate and who will be Speaker of the
House. are problems that are agitating
the minds Of more than one member of
the Legislature, but it is guessed that
John 7. Brown of Hilo will be the auto
crat of the Senate, while the other posi-
ton is as yet an open question.
| John Emmeluth was selected and en-
dorsed by the members of the House, but
owing TO the fact that he desires to do
a great deal of work on the floor, the
N, d
I Democrat of Kauai, was slated for the
position, but many believe that he will
cast his vote with the Republicans in the
Legislature, and his influence is wanted
on the floor.
| Republican members are opposed to
any of their men accepting the chair as
they desire them all on the floor, where
they will be of greater service The In
dependents are also imbued with the
same spirit, and in consequence both
sides are anxious to seat a Democrat
| AT 10 o'clock in the morning the meet
ing will be called to order, the Houses
organizing separately, and then inform
ing the Governor that they are ready to
proceed with the business. Next in or
der will be the reading of the message
and then an adjournment will probably
be taken until the next day, when the
regular business will be commenced.
| Considerable speculation is rife con-
corning the fact that several members
Of the Legislature are unable to debate
lin the English language, and it is doubt
full If the Interpretation of their
speeches through the medium of an In
terpreter will be permissible in law.
Section A of the Act prescribing law
for the government of the Territory of
Hawaii says, "All legislative proceedings
shall be conducted in the English Ian
guage." Legal opinions differ in regard
to the literal meaning of the passage.
some holding that mere Interpretation
into English complies with the law, while
others say that any speeches made in
the Hawaiian tongue would be Illegal,
and therefore not of any weight. In all
probability it will be necessary for the
Legislature to take action on the matter
before the question can be settled.
| Each House is entitled to a clerk and
sergeant-at-arms, and will probably fill
the positions by appointing Hawaiians.
This meeting of the Legislature will be
of more than usual Importance inasmuch
as the conduct of affairs will bear a
marked difference to the methods and
proceeding under the old monarchial and
republican Legislatures. Under the new
regime the Executive has now no voice
or controlling influence in the LegisIa-
ture.
| The Legislature, or rather the Senate,
has some voice in the executive throus.l
its right to confirm or to refuse to con-
firm appointments, but the Executive Is
absolutely shut out of the Legislature,
except that the Governor may send such
communications or recommendations to
| it as he sees fit, and the Legislature, or
either House, may ask the Governor or
| the heads of departments for Informal
ton regarding public affairs. Under the
Republic the Ministers were eA-ofTicio
members of each branch of the Legisla-
/ ture, with all the rights and powers of
members except the right to vote. They
could introduce bills, and, as a matter
of fact, did introduce most of the bills
relating to the general course of execu-
tive government The budget or revenue,
bill was always introduced by the Min
lister of Finance, and the bills on this
subject which he introduced were always
looked upon as Government measures,
and as such were expected to be support
ed in debate by all the members of The
Cabinet.
No bills or measures of any kind can
Ibe introduced by the Governor or the
head of any department, unless 1t is
done through the agency of member.
Every bill. including the budget, will
have to be introduced by. some member
Rof the Legislature
In ithis way the system of government
lin the United States, and in every State.
lis introduced into this Territory. In adj
ldition to it's legislative duties the Sen
ate will have the right to confirm or re-
Iject such nominations to Territorial Of
tfices as the Territorial Act provides
shall be confirmed by the Senate.
| The names of all the principal officers
Iappointed by the Governor at the time
of the organization of the Territory will
have to be submitted to the Senate by the
lGovernor for confirmation Many i'm
lportant matters will be acted upon an6
lit is probable that the greater part OF
the time will be occupied in discussing
1.-THE question of municipal government
though it is not expected that any def
mite action will be taken at the coming
session