Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-01-13
Strongly Represent Feel
ing on Leper
Control.
MASS MEETING PROJECT
FAYORABLY CONSIDERED
ANSWERS FROM ORGANIZATIONS
RE SUGGESTIONS FOR LEG.
ISLATloN -. RECON-.
MeNDATIoNs.

A very important meeting of the Elk.
ecutive Committee Cf the Republican
party was held in headquarters yes.
terday afternoon AM so much business
had to be attended to that IL was dark
before the committeeman finally com.
rleted what was brought before them
for consideration.
The matter of the control of the lep.
er settlement by the Federal Govern
ment was brought up for consideration
Gfter the reading Of the various com.
munications, and II seemed to be the
Unanimuos opinion OF the committee
that there should be held a mass meet.
ing at which there would be present
representatives of all the classes of the
complex society OF the city, the idea
being to pass resolutions protesting
against Federal coptrol Of the leper
settlement.
After considerable discussion il was
decided that it would be best to await
more definite information regarding
the recommendation of the Senatorial
Commission before taking any definite
action.
One of the members of the commit
tee said he believed from information
which he had received that there
would be no such measure passed by
Congress. It was practically killed. In
the first place, In order that the meas.
ure should become 4 law, II would be
necessary to secure the endorsement of
Surgeon General Wyman. As was well
known, Wyman was against the meas.
ure.
Secretary Atkinson read the follow.
ing communication which had been
sent to Mark Hanna, chairman of the
National Committee, on behalf of the
committee:
Honolulu, T. H., January 10, 1903.
Hon. NJ. A. Hanna, Chairman Repub-
lican National Committee, Wash.
ington, d. C.
Dear Sir:-The statement has been
cabled here from Washington that
those United States Senators who re-
Gently visited the Territory of Hawaii
as Commission to investigate, and re-
port to The Senate upon affairs and
conditions in these islands, have recon-
mendod that all the lepers now on the
island of Molokai should he placed
under control of the Federal Treasury
Department, also that all lepers now
on the Mainland of the United States
should be traIspo' ted to Molokai for
treatment, under the same control
with the lopers of Hawaii.
So strongly did we feel upon this
subject that our secretary was directed
to send you the following cablegram
on the Sth inst.
Honolulu, January 8. 1903
Hon. VI. A. Hanna. Washington. ID. g.
Republican organizations protest
against Federal supervision, and trans
fer of lepers from Mainland.
I'VE insist on caring for our own af-
hicted. II is our privilege and duty.
Republican Party's pledge to this
policy won last election.
"(Signed) ATKINSON,
Secretary"
We are now directed by both the
Executive and Central COMMITTEES OF
the Republican Party in the Territory
of Hawaii 10 inform you that the adop-
tion Of any such policy is strongly op-
posed by our people as a whole, ais.
that it would be detrimental to Repub
lican interests in this Territory and
would at once lose for the party THAI
political control which It has so re-
Gently secured, and mainly upon this
very issue.
The lepers, themselves. are opposed
to Federal control of the settlement
now established at Molokai. They are
averse to being thrown into communl-
cation with strangers, owing to their
unfortunate condition due to the nature
OF the disease from which they are
They are not like white
men. Their habits, food and mode of
living are different, and these would
first have to be studied by Federal Off.
cials coming in contact with them be-
fore any good could possibly result
from the change suggested.
It is extremely doubtful, moreover,
whether any benefits could be accom-
plished by placing the lepers of Ha-
waii under Federal control, as reference
would then be made to Washington in
any cases of complaint and the long
distance would preclude the possibility
Of prompt attention to their needs and