Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-08-22

Of the House and Senate in confer
ence)
Hawaii Was United.
Delegate Wilcox was present at all
Of the hearings of the Senate commit
tee, and expressed himself as being In
full sympathy with the manner in
which the measure was being consider.
ed and conducted, promising to do AL
he could with the members of the
House to induce them to assist him
when the Deficiency Bill. with its
amendment, should be reported to that
body.
So far as your representative Is in.
formed, persons from Hawaii at that
time in Washington, rendered all pos
sible assistance TO bring about a ia
vorable result in the matter OF the fire
claims measure.
Senator Foraker. being engaged on
May eth in making a speech upon the
Philippine Bill in the Senate, the COM
mittee did not again convene until
May 18th. Following this meeting, and
when II was thought the committee
would take definite action a question
arose as TO the amount of the fees paid
to local attorneys in Honolulu for their
services in the presentation OF the
claims before the Fire Claims Com
mission. 1t having been reported to the
| committee that some Of the attorneys
were TO Use the expression stated.
making all kinds of money" out of
japanese and Chinese claims az con-
tingent fees.
Damaging Statements.
OF course. you will realize how seri-
ously a statement Of this kind. If true,
would tend 10 discredit the awards
made by the Fire Claims Commission.
as well also all matters pertaining to
bubonic plague losses. The argument
being made that, II the attorneys were
TO receive contingent fees in q large
amount, and had the privilege OF pre-
pairing and presenting the claims to the
Fire Claims Commission. that they
would be interested in making the
claim as large as possible, the attorney
rather than the claimant being the in
terested party.
| The effect OF this report was counter
acted only by persistent personal eff
fort on the part Of your representative.
and OF friends, to show that every pre-
caution had been taken by the Commits
sion to avoid all putting OF claims or
fraudulent practices by attorneys, or
OF any one engaged in presenting
claims to the Commission.
Report Withheld.
| The result, however was the with
holding by the committee OF its report
\ until the members should be better in
formed upon the subject; and upon the
suggestion of the chairman OF the COM
mittee, that ! furnish all data avail
able on this point, obtained informa.
ton from the Chinese and japanese
Legations, through the kindness OF Mr..
ID. w. stevens, and others. of the
amounts OF fees the attorneys were to
receive from Chinese and japanese
claimants for their services, which ap-
pearing 10 the committee 10 be very
reasonable, and covering as they did
about four-fifths of all OF the claims
presented to the Fire Claims Commits
sion, proved acceptable to the commit
tee, and this objection was cleared up.
Nevertheless. several Senators of the
Committee favored the safeguarding OF
claimants against grossly excessive at
torneys' fees by limiting the same to
10 per cent of the amount OF the award
and where contracts or agreements
were entered into for less amount,
that such contracts or agreements
should not be changed.
Report Submitted.
On June 10th tie Committee on Pa
cihC Islands ana Porto Rico unani-
mously and favorably reported a bill
for the relief OF Hawaii to be offered
as an amendment TO House Bill No.
l5l0S, being the Deficiency Bill, to-
gether witE report thereon, which for
your information is offered as an ex-
hibit,
This amendment, together with the
committees recommendation was i'm
mediately reported to the Senate in
Committee of the Whole, and referred
TO the Committee on Appropriations,
and in turn by that committee to the
subcommittee on Deficiency Appro,
priations, of which Senator Hale OF
Maine, is chairman. Every effort was
made by friends OF the measure, and
especially by Senator Foraker, to have
the Subcommittee report the bill ia
Vorably to the Senate. In accordance
with the recommendation OF his COM
mittee, to that the same could be taken
up Cor consideration with the House
members at as early date as possible.
Unfortunately, at this time the
House and Senate were engaged in q
controversy over ;erain items Of an,
preparations made by the Hos: Ia the
Army and Naval bill, and amendments
made thereto by the Senate.
! might here state that the Army and
Naval bill carried as a Senate amend.
'ment an appropriation OF 100000 for
a revenue cutter for Hawaii. which
was stricken out in conference. much
T. the regret OF Senators Clark and
Perkins, who had laborcS earnestly to
get 1t upon the bill.
Senator Hale, as chairman OF tho
subcommittee on Appropriations, sta.
ted that it was impossible for his com.