Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-01-15

gests that the control of the lands i'm
mediately be taken from the territoI
Ial government and be vested in tn
interior department at WASHINGTON
The appointment of a surveyor gel
eral for anG the creation of two LAM
/ districts IL the territory are recon,
mended, and it is suggested that tn,
secretary of the interior should be EN-
powered to make a thorough investi
cation of conditions pertaining to tn,
| administration of the lands.
Almost Monarchy.
The centralized character of the
present government is commented or
at length and very sharply criticised
1t is declared there is very Sigh,
difference in this respect from the
monarchial form of government pre-
cedlng annexation. The committee
says that so marked indeed was this
centralized condition that it is difficult
10 determine the extent and character
OF the changes. This situation is due
10 oversight on the part of congress-
and TO conditions existing in the
islands at the time of their acouisf.
ton, but it should not be permitted to
continue. The committee expresses
the opinion that if the people are not
granted the privilege of participating
IN the government they in time may
revolt, and on this point saws:
The people of Hawaii as a mass
cannot be commended too highly for
{ their attitude toward the federal gov
eminent since annexation was CON
summated They have shown a
spirit Of devotion and loyal ALLEGIANCE
to the republic and it's flag worthy of
all praise. Yet it is not strange that
those who held Office under the late
monarchy and many OF whom are now
holding leading official positions in
the territorial government. should be
slow to relinquish many of the old
governmental forms and practices
under which they lived and officiated
for so many years"
Among other institutions of the
government of the islands of which
the committee disapproves is the gov
ernOr's advisory council, which it
says. is without authority of law. All
questions, even those pertaining to
slight Improvements in distant
islands, are passed on by this coun-
Gil. The committee considers this
an evil to be remedied by the crea-
ton of local municipal governments
thrOuphOnt tho tnrritOrXv
Epidemic of DefaIcations.
Referring to the recent defalcations
on the part Of officials in the islands
the committe says: There has re-
Gently been a perfect saturnalia of
defalcations involving the adminstra-
ton OF Gov. Dole il a cloud and en-
shrouding his name in a maze of en-
baraSsment." The commit 20 criticises
sharply the present syste..,, which
requires no bonds from persons en-
gagged in fiduciary positions, saying
although all these officers thus de-
fauIt1ng, except Woodward, Thomp-
son, Chief Clerk Wright and Walter
A. Wright, were appointed by Gov
Dole, by and with the advice and
consent of the territorial senate. in
asmuch as it is conceded by all these
defaulting officers had always. prior
to their respective appointments,
borne good regulations for integrity
and business capacity, it would, in
the opinion of the committee, be I'M
just to attach any blame on account
Of these official Irregularities to Gov
Dole. 1t is, however, a matter of
surprise that there is no provision
whatever in the organic act, or in any
other federal or territorial officer, ex-
cept in the case of the assessor and
tax collector, to give a bond cOndi-
toned for the faithful performance of
the trust. In the case of the assess
or and tax collector, while the local
statute requires him to give bond in
not less than 100000 he was only ,e-
CURED to give a bond and is now
under such bond in the sum of but
$4,000, while by his own testimony
before the committee he may have as
much as S650,000 taxes in his hands
anu uIuSI Ills COuIIO1 DIT one J1In2.
In not requiring a greater bond from
this officer your committee recon-
mends such legislation as will com
pei every public officer, both federal
and territorial, who has control of
public funds, to give sufficient bond
to cover any and all delinquencies :"
Pension for the Ex-Queen.
The committee finds that Queen
LiliuOkalani had no personal interest
in the crown lands which have been
claimed for her, but only an official
interest during her reign. Such in
terest would have entitled her to the
rental of the islands, and the commit
tee finds that from the time Of the
reinforcement in 1893 to Sept. I last
the rental would have amounted to
S432,37S. In view of all the circum-
stances the committee recommends
that, as an act both of justice and
national grace and wisdom, that the
senate consider with favor, on the
lines indicated in this report, the
claim of the late Queen Liliuokalani,
now a loyal private citizen of the
United States, and make such reason
able provision for her as the facts
here presented may seem to justify
The committee recommends the dis
allowance of claims made by other
persons protesting to be members of
the late royal family of Hawaii
Judge Under Cloud.
corruption and incompetency made