The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-02
THE WILCOX
LEPER BILL
Delegates Policy
Opposed by W.
O. Smith.
AN INJUSTICE
TO HAWAIIANS
He Favors Maintenance Of the
MoIokai Settlement Under Dr.
rection of Territory.

duced in Congress providing for the US
of the Leper Settlement on Molokai fo
all lepers in the United States, finds n.
favor in Honolulu. w. o. Smith. VIII
for thirty years was identified Will
the affairs of the settlement as a mem
Der of the Board of Health and otder'
wise, feels a deep interest in the mat
ter. He said yesterday:
II think it is a very wrong thing tc
attempt, as I think it would be a greai
injury and an injustice to the Hawaii
ans and others of the Hawaiian ISL
ands, who are now resident at the Sc
| tlement. 1 think I gave my views IN
detail on this subject in the Adve-'-
tiser the latter part of 1907
! Mr.. Smiths statement as published
in the Advertiser of November II, 1900.
, is as pertinent today as year ag1.
and reads as follows:
Honolulu, H. l., Nov. 15 1900
| Editor Advertiser: - The suggestion
| which has been made from time to time
| in the past, and now seems to be receiv-
! ing consideration in certain quarters.
that lepers in the United States be sent
to the settlement at Molokai, seems to
deserve more than passing notice.
1t would not seem that such propo-
sition could be seriously considered any
more than the proposition to send all
those afflicted with any other disease
throughout the country to any one point
Several years ago, the suggestion was
made by the authorities of the State of
California that the lepers of that State
be sent to MoIokai, and later the author
tiles at Samoa desired that certain lepers
har Shn q hn y
stances the consent was not given and
the reasons for refusal are as potent now
as then.
To send the iepers of the United States
to Molokai would be a great wrong and
injustice to them and to Hawaii. To the
great majority of the people of the Urit-
ed States these Islands are foreign
country, and to send persons afflicted
with disease to a foreign country, from
three to five thousand miles from home,
among a strange people, whose language
they cannot understand, with whose GUS
toms and ways and food they are unac.
Quainted and unaccustomed, would in :.
any case be outrageous; but especially
with leprosy, q disease which in SO many
cases gradually renders the person I'M
able to care for himself, and needing the
assistance of others, and with the de-
preston and woe that comes from the
of the case
1t would be a great wrong to these
Islands to make them the dumping |
place for all lepers of the country, and
cause them to be looked upon as pest |
hole. And it would be a wrong to the |
who live a the settlement to |
have people from foreign countries-un- |
acquainted with them and their habits. |
traditions and sympathies-forced upon |
them and perhaps in considerable num- |
bers. Furthermore the introduction of |
such people would doubtless become a !
element IN that peaceful COM
munity.
The presence Of leprosy and the caring |
for the sick has been a most severe and
trying experience to the Hawaiians and
people of these Islands.
Leprosy was introduced into these ISL
ands from foreign country and spread
among the native people until measures
had to be taken for the protection of the
The problem presented was
a very serious one, and in view of the
conditions Of the population, the ways
and habits of the people, 1t was deemed
imperative that the sick should be Segre-
gated from the well, and after various
this spot the Island OF
Molokai was selected for the permanent
settlement. and for tlirty-five years.
with great pains and at great cost the
epers have been gathered up from the
various parts of the Islands and taken
% this settlement. Here cottages have
been provided for them; the home life !
has been maintained as far az possible.
heir wants supplied by the government
It public expense, and a community Of i
'ver a thousand persons Is living there
n peace and harmony.
The separation of families-parents
rom children, wives from husbands,
'rothers from sisters-has been a terri
lie experience, and the result of disease
brought to this people from abroad.
first, large portion of the native peo-
lie were tainted by disease brought by
ailors and others, producing conditions
adorable to the production of other dis
aSeS.
In this soil the germs of leprosy SEEM
ID to run riot, and a great curse came
Ipon the people. Over six thousand per-
ons have been taken to this settlement.
It Molokai since its establishment
There are now 1,01o persons there afflict-
d with the disease. of the following ma
ionalities:
Observation-Disclosures. $50
;hineSe NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. "a
y mites ...........-.............
With the exception of the Bishop Home
or Girls and the Baldwin Home for
Soys, there Is no hospital at the settle
nent The premises cover area OF
and from three to four miles in length
md two miles in width at the widest
'oint. and the people live In cottages and
maintain the home life to which they
re accustomed. and form a remarkably
and peaceful community.
In certain cases as the patient becomes
helpless from the loss of fingers and
lands, or paralysis, friends are allowed
o go there to care for them. These are
EnEfI1S fhp1narcl nd 1