The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-12
CONDITIONS
AT MoL0KAI
The Lepers in the Colony There Are
Allowed to Marry-Report Of
Senate Committee.
The Labor Question, the Public
Lands and the "Defalcation
-.-...- - Saturnalia.

s.. Saturnalia.
WASHINGTON, JAN 1.-THE senate COM
mittee on Porto Rico and the Philippine
islands met to-day to receive the report OF
the SUBJ committee appointed at the close
of the last session of congress to investi-
gate conditions IN the Hawaiian islands.
This subcommittee consisted Of Senators
Mitchell of Oregon, Burton Of Kansas,
Foster Of Washington, Cockrell of Mis-
souri,. and Blackburn Of Kentucky. The
last two named did not visit the islands.
but Senator Blackburn Joined in the
recommendations which number twenty
six. The visit to the islands was made
last September and covered twenty-five
days, during which time forty three meet
ings were held and ITO witnesses were In
terrogated. t'
The Settlement Of Lepers.
The investiga ton was general and COW
cred all qeustions with which the govern
ment~ could be concerned, including the
laws, local and federal, and their execu-
tion the public lands, labor, the planta,
tions, the harbors, taxation, the -leprosy
settlement. Queen Liliuokalani's claims,
and other subjects. The condition Of af-
fairs in the leper settlement on the island
Of Mololkai excited the liveliest interest.
The committee made a quite thorough
inquiry concerning this settlement, which
is under territorial control, with the result
that 1t recommends that the management
Of the colony be transferred to the marine
hospital service with headquarters in
or retreat for all the lepers of the United
States be established on that island.
At the time of the visit Of the committee
there were 1853 leprous patients in the set
tlement. The opinion is expressed that
there are many hundreds Of other cases of
leprosy in the territory. In the past year
in the Molokai settlement there were IA
deaths and 16 births in the colony, eight
Of the children born being illegitima tie.
Much diversity Of opinion was found in
the territory as to whether the control of
the settlement should be retained by the
territorial government through all the ter
ritorial officers were found to be favor
able, to such retention. The committee
takes strong grounds in favor Of a change
and in this connection freely discusses the
conditions with reference to morality
which prevail. saying: 81
'"4our committee has been somewhat
surprised to find that under the existing
management Of the leper settlement, in
discriminate legitimate and illegitimace
cohabitation is permitted. Marriages are
suffered to be celebrated between -leprous
steal condition. Children are born in the
settlement Of leprous union and as q re-
suit OF concubinage, and, strange as it may
appear. the leading officials seem to re-
gard all this not only as permissible, but
protest vigorously against a system OF
segrega ton that would prevent it,
Further along the committee says that
unrestricted Legitimate association is
permitted by the authorities, and adds:
The only attempt, seemingly, to abate
or minimize this evil is by counseling
and earnestly urging marriage on the part
Of lepers and even going so far as to
facilitate divorce where a leprous man or
woman has a wife or husband outside OF
the settlement. SO that the husband or
obligation might again be married to a
leper and an inmate Of the leper settle
ment." '''..
. The Labor Question.
In connection with its discussion OF the
labor question. the committee takes up
the effort on the part of the business. men
Of the islands to secure the removal OF
some Of the restrictions on Chinese i'm
migration. This desire is conceded to be
very general, but Senator'S: Mitchell and
Foster, representing a majority of the
subcommittee, take very positive ground
in opposition. They say that the condi-
tions are not different in the islands from
| what they are on the mainland, and make
the usual argument against Chinese adj
| mission. They contend, also, that the
Chinese do much to introduce and main
tain bubonic plague and other contagious
diseases. = -.
Senator Burton takes the opposite
view. He says that neither the natives
nor white men will work in the sugar
fields and he calls attention to the free
dom with which oriental labor was
brought in in the days Of the monarchy
TT isl he says, "a well-known fact
| that the country over there was very
prosperous when it was kingdom and
continued very prosperous under the pro
vsional government and under the re.
public. Its period of decline began with
| annexation, and matters have gone on
under annexation from bad to worse un.
til to-day the spectre Of hard times is
found everywhere throughout the
| Islands, n - ..- - r ..f.s =.
/ He says the Chinese are preferable tc
the Japanese, and he urges that it is ar
| unfair discrimination to allow the latter
to come in unrestricted and not to per.
nit the former to come in at all. ~.
/ He suggests that Chinese be, allowed
to enter to perform agricultural labor
and for no; other purpose. 70 B. = -:
".~i The Public Lands. L.. ,-.1 s.-,., n
Much space is devoted to discussion O.
! the administration OF Lnet- puDl1C 1anQs
of the territory and: the committee find.
that the policy followed In Hawaii In re
gard to those lands is directly opposed
| to the policy followed III the United
| States. 1t is remarked that whereas tn,
policy on the mainland is to preserve tn,
lands for homes for the people, the
policy now being enforced in Hawai-
! seems to be to utilize the public do
main solely for the purpose Of revenue
and consequently but very little of tn,
public lands are being sold, but large
tracts are placed under long leases.
policy which. in the judgment of you
committee. should not be continued un
der any circumstances for any length o
! time" ~ 'sSS> . 2 ~ ~ = E.
In addition to the recomm endation tina
the leasing system be abolished. the com
mitteer suggests that the control of thu
! lands be taken at once from the terri
torial government and be vested in tn.
interior department at Washington TIL.
appointment Of surveyor general for aht
the creation Of two land departments il
the territory are recommended. and It'll.
suggested that the secretary Of the int.
rior should be empowered to make a thor.
ough investigation Of conditions pertain
ing to the administration Of the lands.