Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-12-23
TRADERS DISCUSS PROBLEMS

IN WOIhUldnllhe IlduueI.
A motion was then made to the
effect that 1t is the sense OF the Ex-
change that the government, in calling
tor contracts should call for bids on
the whole contract only.
+. Tappan Tannatt suggested that ii
any action was to be taken, it would be
best for the Exchange to proceed care
fully and with due dCliberatiOn. Per-
sonally, he favored the government
calling for two sets of bids, bid on
the whole contract and another on each
principal class of work. |. was claim
ed that this would give the ambitious
mechanic who desired to become a
contractor, an opportunity to figure
on government work to which he was
by law and custom entitled. At the
same time, in all probability, the eX-
perlenced general contractor would be
able in most cases to put in figure
on the whole job that could not be
touched by any combination of sub
contractors. This also would protect
the interests of the government.
Motion Withdrawn.
The motion was thercupon with
drawn and the matter referred to the
committee of which Mr.. Craig is the
chairman and Messrs. Ouderkirk and
Stephenson the other members, the
instructions being TO make further in
vestgation and draft proper resolu.
lions to be brought up later.
Bidding Abroad.
In relation to home patronage, it was
reported that the government had not
in any instance but one advertised for
any work elsewhere than in the local
newspapers and that this one exception
was made because of the objection Of
certain papers OF the city 10 the keep
ing of the bids in Honolulu. The gen.
eral opinion of the officials of the pres
ent administration was that the tax
payers of the Territory, in contracting
and material supply business, should
be given every legitimate advantage but
that. on account of the newspaper clip
ping agencies any call for tenders, pub
lished in the Honolulu papers. was in
the hands OF every house on the main
land which desired 1t, within ten days
and the government could not refuse
10 furnish specifications to any citizen
of the United States desiring to bid on
government work.
May Employ Attorney.
The matter of employing an attorney
VINO was specialist on lien law and
| ,nllnpttnn hrnnphaI nd
referred to the Board of Directors, the
general sentiment being that II some
way could be devised to make il an
object for a first class attorney to
take up the matter, that the large mem
bership of the Exchange could give him
Il great deal of business.
Educating Asiatics.
Mr.. Craig brought up the matter OF
educating Chinese and japanese chill
dren in the public schools, stating that
there was continually growing in the
community sentiment In favor of re
pealing the compulsory school attend
anCe law in so far as AsiatiCs were
concerned. He stated that two senators
had already approached him on the
matter and stated that they were ready
t. introduce such bill in the next
| IL gisature and do their best to get it
through 1t was Mr.. Craig's opinion
that the legislative committee of the
Exchange should have a bill ready for
presentation al the next session.
| During the discussion, 1t was claim
ed that there were only 500 white chill
drcn in the public schools of the Ter
rtory as against 1900 Asiatlcs. or Por-
tugucse there were 1000 and Hawaiians
5000.
Lowers Moral Tone.
| 1t was said that the Superintendent
Of Public Instruction had reported over
5000 children clamoring for schools OF
which, 1t is claimed, 80 per cent. are
AsiatiCs. The education Of the chill
dren of plantation laborers only served
to make them feel above plantation
work. Worse than that, the children
OF citizens were not only crowded out
OF thes chOUls but the moral and social
tone was materially lowered, so that
Hearly everyone who could afford it
Iiawaiians, Portuguese and Americans
were sending their children to such
schools as Punahou, where the numbeI
of Asiatics was by no means FREEDOM
inant.
J, l.. Carter said that very bright
Chinese, graduate Of Mills Institute
had told him he thought he had much
the best of the Americans inasmuCl
as he had the advantage of centuries
OF training under Asiatic civilization
Of which Frank Damon knew but little
and, in addition, had learned all Mr.
Damon himself knew.
Citizenship Question.
The question as to whether Asiati'
children could become citizens of tn,
United States was thrown into the dis
cussion and 1t was claimed that thu
United States Supreme Court had sus
tanned the decision of the Oregon ST
preme Court to the effect that no Asia
tic whether horn in the United State