The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-09-16
MATTERS BEFORE
THE COMMISSION

At yesterday mornings session OF the
Senatorial Commission, Commissioner
Gill gave way to Lorrin A Idraws. who
appeared for the Portuguese. He ex-
planned that Mr.. Andrade, his partner
in lew, hal been called away and left
the case in his hands.
Mr.. Andrews recapitulated the his
tory of PunChbOwl from its first taking
up by the Portuguese under Kapiolani's
grant, turning it into a garden from a
rocky desert. He told of the reversOn
of the leases in 1913 with hard condi-
tons of giving up Improvements as
well as fee. Many of these Portuguese
were now American citizens, most of
the younger ones and they asked for
an option of some sort by which they
could take up the lands. Being poor,
public auction would be barred to
them. All statistics would be filed
with a brief.
Commissioner e. S. Gill was next
sworn. He commenced with a denial
of the statement of the Attorney Cen
eral concerning the Territorial officials
and their relations with Iwilei. He cit
ed the columns of the Republican and
quoted the Edmunds Act and Orm-
stead's report also the reports of grand
juries and Judge Estee's remarks, so
that the Attorney General must have
move was taken until the injunction
was stated. Il have been" said the
witness, lin every city of the States,
but l have never seen anything so in
famous, so vile, so against deCency and
public order as the bull pen of Iwilei.'
The witness then asked for amend
ments to the Organic Act, for example,
the inability of the citizen to sue the
government. With this and the coin
age he referred to Porto Rican prece-
dents. Referring to the age limitations
as taken up by Judge Humphreys, he
thought that no other Organic Acts of
states contained such conditions. He
then threw bouquets at Senator Nit
chell and his Oregon career, which the
| latter deprecated and cited Roosevelt
and Pitt the younger, as men attain
ing prominent and worldwide distinC-
ton at early ages. The franchise re-
struction was taken up and the bitter
fractional fights taken up locally. He
referred to Porto Rican immigrants
and the howl that had arisen here re-
garding "carpetbaggers." Mainland
appOintees would, he thought, do much
to wipe out this feeling.
Appeals to the Supreme Court. I'm
til the Territory of Hawaii was made
all other territories, on amounts of So
600 and over were given a privilege of
appeal. Porto Rico and Alaska have
this privilege and l do not think Con-
gress intended to abrogate the rights
of Hawaii in this particular
The chairman asked what the wit
ness opinion of the filling of Su
preme Court vacancies. The witness
thought it very bad. He drew atten-
ton to the deposit of high fees owing
to the stamp tax, even in simple as
-1rf fAgit hp1
no appeal.
This government, owing to the CEN
tralized system is the most expensive
on earth, costing $16.95 head, includ-
| ing public improvements. Other terri
tories were quoted, Nebraska, $1.9S, mi
nus municipal and county expenses,
and others with varying figures.
The Senatorial commission yesterday
afternoon continued the haaring of
Commissioner Gill. He continued in an
endeavor to show the eXtravagance of
the local government and Urged city
and county government. Emil Ney
| spoke until requested not to. Post
master Oat gave testimony Oh the COIN
| age question and the crowded state Of
| the present pOstoffice. j. VI ViVas
wanted to obtain Portuguese labor ard
| wanted the land cut up intO small
| -arms.
DR.. 6loggett as the presi lent of the
| Board of Health contradiCtti the tes-
| timony of Humphreys con .rrning the
cost of maintaining lepers, cited at $780,
! 1t was, the witness elaine /, $l23 per
annum inclusive of everything. In the
case of DR.. French there had been no
evidence that could furnish legal proof.
! Senator Burton asked for information
in regard to Father Wendelin and the
session adjourned with DR.. SlogGctt