Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-19
END OF THE SESSION
Hawaiian Legislature Has
Adjourned Without Date.
SOME GOOD WORK DONE
CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT
LAWS PASSED.
A Notable Improvement Over the First
Legislature-Some Vetoes
by the Governor.
SOME GOOD WORK DONE

created quite q stir It showed that race
has given rise to many scandals, as most
legislatures do, and has spent time on
some of the most extraordinary freak bills
on record. the second territorial legislature
of Hawaii, which has just adjourned sine
die, has a record of work to its credit.
AS result of its labors lightweight new
laws which received the approval of the
governor or were passed over vetoes have
been added to- the statute books of the
territory. Some Of them are very neces-
sary laws which the last home-rule legis-
lature failed to enact.
The legislature was overwhelmingly re-
publican in name, but in sentiment 1t was
different. Home rulers received most Of
the patronage. The report of the commit
tee on accounts when published in detail
HONOLULU. T. H, May 19.-Though 1t
feeling is stronger than party ties, and
that even those of the old home rule guard,
who have ostensibly come into the republic
can ranks. and who were elected as ropub-
ltcans last fall, have not lost their friend
ship for the home rule leaders. The first
sign Of this was when home ruler was
been shown that of the 10000 or more
spent by the house for printing, translating,
typewrfting clerkships, ETC.. about three
leaders. some Of them defeated candidates,
and there are bitter complaints in the re-
publican ranks.
City and County Government.
The most important bills of. the session
were the bill to provide for county gov
eminent In Hawaii and the bill to provide
for the Incorporation Of cities The latter
failed to become law. and there will
therefore be no municipal government In
Hawaii for two years more, until after
the next legislature. Two bills to provide
municipal government were passed and
both had enough supporters to have over
ridden veto, but poor management in the
house killed them One was sent to the
governor and vetoed, on account of i'm
PROJECTIONS in it. 1t made general provis-
ions for the Incorporation of cities by such
communities as might elect to incorporate.
The senate OVERRIDE the Veto The other
municipal bill made a city and county of
the island of Oahu, including Honolulu. 1t
went to the governor late in the session
and was not signed, dying by a pocket
veto.
The county government act goes into
effect next January. 1t divides the terri
tory Into five counties and provides a gen.
eral system of government for them, based
largely on that of the state of California
A special election is to be held in November
next, to elect the county officers of the
first term of one year. new officers being
elected at the regular election in November
Il next year. 1t Is felt that the new system
Is likely to be an expensive one, with the
territorial government. but some of the ter
ritorial Offices will be got rid. Of or heavily
cut as soon as possible. . --. 81.
j The. locaiizatton of the government is
exceedingly popular among the natives,
who think they have not had proper
voice lin administration of affairs since the
overthrow of the monarchy. City govern
ment was another pet scheme with them,
and. it was favored by all the party plat
FORMS though there Is a considerable ele-
ment in the republican ranks holding to
the view that it is too soon for Hawaii to
try city government and that the expert
ment with county government had better
be tried first.
,..H Sensitive Legislators.
: The house showed itself very sensitive
about reports Of scandal. Newspaper &C
counts to which some state legislatures
grow accustomed were constantly taken up
and at the beginning Of the session many
OF the members had the idea that the news
papers attacked the dignity Of the house
even by criticism Of the acts of members
This was illustrated when Speaker Beckley,
in commenting upon the complaint of
member whose resolution involving large
interests was referred to "hold-up'
resolution. declared that the house would
not "countenance" imputations against the
honesty of members.
On the last evening Of the session, just
before adjournment, flash light picture OF
the members was taken. The group, In the
old throne room of the Hawaiian mon
archy, Is an interesting one and the picture
shows some Of the royal trappingS, as well
as several of the Oil paintings of former
Hawaiian monarchs, which adorn the walls
and attract the attention of tourists. The
seat of the speaker was formerly the
throne of Hawaii.
Gov Dole signed forty-one bills on the
last day of the session. The executive was
in his office all day and until midnight,
when he signed the last bill and ceased
work. A committee Of senator's visited him
just after midnight and urged the signing
of a certain bill, but the executive pointed
to his watch and said that the session was
ended. He remarked that he did not think
it good policy to sign bills after the end OF
the session, and did not expect to sign any
more.
AS compared to the last legislature this
one Is undoubtedly vindication of the
Hawaiians' claims to fitness for self-gov
eminent. The general record of the session
is admitted to be fairly good one, aside
from the records as to expenditures, which
is referred to in the local press as ''sa-
turnalia of spoils." Certainly the sums
paid to prominent home rulers for work
done. clerical and otherwise. were strange
ly. large, and Honolulu is full of reports
of solicitations Of brides.
s But the only really very bad-looking
measure which ran the gauntlet an act to
pay $3.50, 900 for some water springs which |
think worth third Of that sum-which act
the house first passed at the sum of $780,.
OO0-was successfully vetoed by Governor
Dole. The motion to override the veto
failed, however, by only one vote in the
senate. the house carrying it. Governor
Dole in his veto message criticised the bill
very severely. saying that 1t appeared to
have been very strongly pushed by private |
interests and passed without due investiga-
ton to safeguard the interests of the pub !
lie.
The legislature gave to Hawaii in addi- |
ton to the county government act. the |
-Torrens land title law, many amendments |
of injurious and obsolete criminal and civil |
laws some new liquor laws and an act to |
authorize loans aggregating 100000 for |
public improvements.
Among the freak bills was an act to pro- |
vide for licenses to conduct games of |
monte. fan tan. faro. etc. 1t provided for |
the appointment of three commissioners of |
games of chance, who were to issue the Ii |
censes and appoint deputies to see that the |
games Were square" One section provid- |
ed that no person not of good moral char |
acter should have a license to run monte, |
fan tan or faro game. The bill died on sec |
ond reading.