The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-14
CAyPLESS
TELLS WHY
Home Rulers Plea
Before Senate
Committee.
Clearing Before Senate Committed
OF EDGAR CAYPLEss.
ESQ. SECRETARY OF THE
SENATE OF THE TERRI
TORY OF HAWAII.


SENATE OF THE TERRI
TORY OF HAWAII.
The Chairman. Where do you re-
side. Mr.. Caypless?
Mr. Caypless. In Honolulu.
The Chairman. How long have you
lived In Honolulu?
Mr.. Caypless- About 1--WE years
The Chairman. What official posi-
ton. II any. do you hold there?
MIR. Caypiess. i am secretary of the
Hawaiian senate.
The Chairman Have you read this
bill. S. Ass. TO apportion the term OF
Office OF seven senator's?
Mr. Caypless. Yes. sir.
| The Chairman. What observations
| do you care TO make on the subject?
Mr.. Caypless. / think. Mr.. Chairman
and gentlemen. that the passage OF
that bill would create a decided con-
fusion on the islands: that Is. in the
senate. II provides for the retirement
| OF five Home Rulers and two Republi-
cans. while an equitable division, TO re-
tain the present political ratio. would
| be four and three. This matter was
up before the Commit &c on Territories
In the House. and 5ir. Carter and my
self were constantly In attendance at
the meetings OF that committee with
reference to the matter. After n very
careful consideration OF all the different
matters presenting themselves. the
committee decided 10 retain the pres
ent political condition of the senate.
which would leave four Home Rulers
and three Republicans to- go out. Their
plan for determining who these sena-
tors should be was TO take In each dis
trict the Home Ruler who received the
har nf han
the Republican senator who received
the lowest number OF votes. wherever
he might come. That would be neces- |
STATED by the fact that in some dis |
tricts there are no Republican senators. |
They are all Home Rulers. That Is !
why the committee decided first To take /
one Home Ruler from each district. |
anl then to take the Republicans as
they might come.
The Chairman. How many districts
are there. altogether?
Mr.. Caypiess. There are four.
The Chairman. That Is what L
thought. Has n report OF that bill
been made in the House?
Mr. Caypless. They have reported IL
To the House; yes. sir. They have
adopted the bill.
The Chairman. Is there a printed
MT. CdypieSS. res, SIR. L nave not
a copy OF IL.
10 secure IL for us. that we may
have the benefit OF IL.
Mr.. Caypless. I will say To you.
that under the directions OF
the organic act the senate started to
ipportion these senator's. The matter :
came up at the end OF the session in
the latter days. There was a dispute !
between the two factions OF the house
and the senate as To- whether or no; q
his session was legal-that is whether
he legislature had expired the day be- .
'ore or whether IL expired on that dag. :
rhe Republican faction ESQ far as the 4
erm gOes) maintained that Washing y
on's birthday was not a holiday. II
birthday was NOT "A holi- y
lay. though IL was generally So OBJ q
lerVed In the islands. this action w.;s ;
ipOn the last day. II washlngton's :
birthday was a holiday (and Il was so =
'bserved this action OF the legislature /,
vas had one day prior TO the last day
inder the organic act. =
Senator Mitchell. What Is the pro- ~
'ssion about the duration Of the SEN %
tie: Does the limit apply simply To- a
ne pay Of the members. or To- the alb =
dilute timce -
Mr.. Caypless. II Is provided that the
Ibsoiute time % the session shall not
xcecd sixty days. unless extended by n
he governor.
Senator Mitchell. Some states differ
n that respect In my own State the
'ay Is stopped at a certain time. but z
ne legislature can go right on for 4 2
ear II IL wishes r
Mr. Caypless. In some States the law .
ays legal holidays" but the organic
ct. II you will notice IL. does not say
legal holidays but simply holidays"
birthday was generally
Deserved as holiday: so that the con-
ention on the part OF some. more par
the Home Rule members was n
hat u did not count as n day. while r
he other faction maintained that IL r.
ID. The Legislature had gone only TO
he extent OF apportioning the senator's .
n the first and second districts. They =
'erc duly apportioned. and certificates =
iven to the parties. This bill. II pass n.
Il. - In direct contrast with the action m
Z the legislature. so far as IL went. -
his action was taken In the joint seS- .
on Certificates We're given in the ~
rst and second districts to Kaiue. -
.aohi. White. and Brown. Those peO- n
r. have their certificates. This bill n
eparts from that principle. n
The other bill adopts the action OF xz
ie legislature So far as Is possible To -
AIRY out the idea agreed upon. to =
aintain the present political division
the Senate; and IL was decided that E
lose who served for the two-year u
rms should be taken from those who n
-ceived the lowest number OF votes. -
II seems % me that the most sat!S-
lctOry way or I may De permitted 10
iggest iD would be. as Mr.. Wilcox -
As suggested. that the legislature ID
iould finish the apportionment. II u
as not exactly their fault that II was n
% finished. The legislature bowed. q
ther. 10 the belief Of the majority n
'at WashinEton's birthday was a
,iiday. and adjourned that night.
Senator Mallory. Could not the gov -