The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-10
WILCOX On
DEFENSIVE
Home Rule Journal
Explains Leper
Bill.
EXPERTS CURE
OF PATIENTS
Declares Total Lepers on Mainland
to be About One Hundred.
Tue to Care.
THE HAwAIIANs are being influ-

THE HAWAIIANS are being influ-
enced in favor of the leprosy bill
u of Delegate Wilcox, by the pub
LEGATION of editorials in the paper of
Mrs. Wilcox, in which the statements
are made that the condition of the I'M
fortunates at Molokai is due primarily
to the greed and inhumanity of the
Board of Health. in that there is made
no effort to secure the cure of the lep-
ers The following shows that the Ha-
waiians are being urged to give their
support to Wilcox for the reason that
the national government will support
and cure the iepers, while now the peo-
pie are sent on to the island when there
is only some slight irregularity and not
any evidence of the disease at all. The
editorial is from Mrs. Wilcox's paper
of January 9Th, and follows a publica-
ton of the full bill:
1.-The main purpose of this law upon
leprosy which has been presented by our
Delegate to the Congress of the United
States of America is that this bin anu
law will greatly help us of the Hawaiian
race.
FOR these reasons, that from the time
the laws for lepers first became effective
in Hawaii nei d period of nearly forty
years. not a single leper or patient has
ever been released (meaning cured), from
its place of confinement, and all that has
been seen and known by us IS that they
Ohe 1epers) have been caught and put In
their place of segregation.
I'VE think that no cure was TO De eN-
pected or a medical course of treatment
would be received at the hands OF this
Board of Health. Had anything been
done toward an effort to effect cure OF
those having the disease We all could
saw that our money, which the people
have so literally given for this land OF
unfortunates. was well spent. But 1 do
say. your writer. that We of the race are
the best TO Judge in this matter. II is OK
no value or benefit to us. and 1t Is OF
value only TO those now in power in this
department, with flied pockets, gained
curing their incumbency.
And to us the Hawaiian LahuD. II Is
of no value or benefit; they are NUM-
over this bill and laws for Ii VIII pace
the management of the settlement into
the hands of the Federal government:
the lunas will be all discharged. Then
there will be no more selling of 'weevi-
W.. flour and rotten hard bread. Their
pockets will be empty; this Is the reason
why they are huhu.
..Here IS another matter: the patients
receive no medical treatment. III, under
Federal control this law directs the Sec
rotary of the Treasury to prepare
statement TO be presented to Congress
showing the total cost for the mantle
nance OF the settlement. including medi-
cines and treatment. with view OF cur
ing those stricken with the disease. rom
time immemorial this class OF oisease
has been known cared for and treated
by medical men to the present age, with
little or no hope of a cure. But we WI
sae that II this bin becomes law, the
Federal government will then erect anu
establish an experiment station ior the
purpose of ascertaining the foundauon
and causes of this disease. When TINS Is
known the right kind of medicines VIII
then be fou-d. If not, then people VIII
he receiving medical treatment 10 IeHe'e
their sufferings
..This will give us the Lahul, 'hal
Ionced for spell of relief for those OF our
loved ones, as the love OF husoand Ior
his wife a wife for her husband, parents
for their children, which we see and are
now suffering, under the exisunS law
for the control of lepers whlch was III
force from the time OF the hloiialonS
down 10 the present time Inc Deiesdte
we'll knows this, and the great suherrnss
~ ,ba T.ahr,i who voted for him, ana 1or
H. banef. of YOU, Oh Hawaii, caused
hir, to present this bill before congress.
Here IL another subject: Some OF
.resn haoIes and Hawa.ians are greatly
-, over this bill IT is claimed %!
,boro mat We will be flooded here with
,arers from America. II is only worthless
,s-aa,ns for all of the lepers in the wnole
- America will not be over one hunureu
IN number and they are very iarse
,a.ion of haoles numbering nearly
oiqbtv millions Of people; It is very
,+=,anee that they have not more lepers
+,,<.re thar there are in Hawaii ny Is
q. +hat there are not more lepers there'
.. because that the doctors OF the
Po,rds of Health there are more VIDE
80 better supplied with the right
- NJ medicines. and that those VINO
- Fr1icte5 with the disease are better
treated and cared for and their hea'A
restored? IT, .. M. he
..If this is the case. would IL not p
,,,cb better TO let America handle TINS
disease and care for them, as thls Is
Territory of America? 80 tow
Her. Is another fact: that the laN
.,,.ars of the Territory will be relieved
OF a very great burden. as 1t taxes
very large sum of money 10 care iV'
tbeee unfortunate people
This law will place US under the eaLe
aud control of the Federal government,
,ybo wants TO take and care TOT US,
Rotor. Is not this a good law Tor US
And perhaps in future there WIZ
c-adual diminishing i'm the NUMBERS 81
natients sent TO Kaulapapa and haid-
r-.o and only cases shat are absoiuteS
-. Lii ne sent and not as 1t Is now
with those in power-an unnatural - an