Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-02-02
CITIZENSHIP LABOR FOR
THE NEW COUNTIES

/
Editor Evening Bullctin:-l note
that you issued as supplement to
your paper. Wednesday, January 2S,
last, complete text of the County bill
as drawn and submitted by the special
committee of the Republican party,
and that you editorially invite the opin.
ions of citizens interested in the same
or parts Of II.
In hurried manner have read the
bill over, and think find some errors
that might be altered, in the first par.
agraphs.
The first error is in the arrangement
of counties. Oahu is made one; Maui,
. Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe 'anoth'
or: Hawaii into two; and Kauai and
Niihau compose the fifth county. 1t is
provided in the bill! that land within
three nautical miles of any Island shall
form part OF such county. As to such
Islands, well and good; but what Is to
be done with Hawaiian territory out.
side of the three miles limit from the
Islands mentioned in the bill? Necker
Island is as much part of the ia.
waiian group as Is Oahu, and some
years ago that island was favorably
considered as cable landing, and 1t
may yet be such. A cable station
would mean inhabitants, and inhabit'
ants would mean judicial privileges
and all the rights conferred by the Con
stitution of the United States. Under
the proposed county Act. to what sub.
Organization in this Territory could an
inhabitant of Necker Island appeal for
an adjudication of his rights? None.
However. "Necker Island is not in
habited and may not be for a long
time" Granted. will not refer 10
Ocean Island and Midway Islands, al.
though the latter are inhabited and
will soon become a cable station, but
call attention to Layson Island, rich
little member OF Hawaiian territory
constantly inhabited by a hundred
souls or Whereabouts, paying taxes, as
believe, to this present Government,
and leased to II. Hackfeld a. Co. at a
very large rental; should think.
White families and Japanese are en-
gagged there to prepare and get guano
ready for shipping abroad. Heretofore
oil cases arising on the island have
been brought to Honolulu for trial, one
:. of which was the killing and wound.
| ing Of several japanese a few years
ago. and further case yet pending In
our Supreme Court, all of great impor-
lance. Under the County BILL limiting
the County of Oahu to three nautical
miles from its actual bounds, the Dis
:. ltrict Court of Honolulu could not exer.
. else jurisdiction in any case coming
from Layson or any one Of these isl.
:. ands. They would simply be debarred
= from all jurisdiction.
: would suggest that Layson and all
! other small islands of our group lying
, beyond the three.mile limit, but be.
longing to Hawaii. and being part and
parcel thereof, be included in the
, County of Oahu, Honolulu being most
accessible thereto.
The second point to which | would
Q draw the attention of our next Legisla-
ture Is in the provision of Chapter
K wi iN''ihB pn'i aS'o oh any anu al pun
A lie work of any nature whatever. I'm
@ der the proposed law the Board of Su.
e pervisors is, should think, in ordinary
4 circumstances required to let contracts
to "the lowest responsible bidder
{ This sounds well, but what does II
: mean? 1t means a loophole through
g which the Asiatic may lay his fingers,
a upon any Government contract. Many
i japanese and Chinese contractors may
e be classed as responsible" and could
e probably prove that standing any
i where in or out of court That they
are able to underbid the white man
n and native is daily shown. and the
i most progressive Board of Supervisors
Il would find great difficulty under the
a proposed law in Withholding important
= contracts from them. The law SHOULD
y not throw this responsibility upon the
d Supervisors.
b Public sentiment against Asiatic la
q Dor on Government contracts has toC
IS long been fully crystallized, and would
y be notorious to say the least. Let thu
Is law come out flat-footed and declare
that contracts shall he let to American