The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-05
4. c. Gehr Is Fighting the KohaIa
Ditch Bill and limiting Strongly
s at Bribery.
Ex-Governor Powers and the Fire Claims Bill.
Eustis in Washipg gton-.-No Adverse
Legislation at This Session.

the moment Speaker Henderson recog
nized him and the bill had been read
He told how there were 5000 claimant!
and recited the history of the claims il
vivid language, mentioning the order
given by Secretary of State John Hay
Jan. %, 1900. as issued to Gov. Dole
| He emphasized the necessity of stop
ping the plague because of the passage
route between San Francisco and the
Philippines.
| Representative Finley, of S. c., help
ed the governor along with some friend
| ly. questions, one of which was whether
| the territory had not expected at the
time to have money of it's own with
which to pay all those claims.
Representative Maddox, of Ca, who
| is inclined to do considerable object
ing in the House, began finally to pro-
pound questions but they did not prove
of a hostile character. Gov. Powers
finished in fine form and Representa-
tive Thayer, of Worcester, Mass, a
Democrat, proceeded to speak on the
bill. He is a member of the committee
on territories and declared that he
thought it would be breach of good
faith on the part of the government
to refuse to pass the pending bill. He
told how Hawaii had paid 100000 for
the suppression of the plague and that
this government ought not to complain
at paying a share.
Representative Moon, of Tenn, who
had demanded a second and was in
charge of time for opposition to the
bill, offered to yield time for any one
who wished to oppose the measure but
none volunteered. Mr.. Sulzer of New
York said for Mr.. Robinson that the
latter had been called away by a death
in the family but that he was strongly
in favor of the bill. Mr.. Sulzer ad-
ded on his own behalf that he was
aware of the facts of the case and him
self intended to vote for the bill.
Thereupon it passed without an op-
posing vote, exactly as it passed the
Senate. Accordingly it was unneces- !
sary TO send the bill to a conference
committee but. as soon as it had been
engrossed and signed by the President |
pro tenn of the Senate, Mr.. Frye, and by |
the Speaker of the House it was for
warded to President Roosevelt, who |
signed it.
The House committee on territories,
in taking up the fire claims bill, COM
pleted about all the Hawaiian legisla-
ton they have under contemplation for
his session. Mr.. Edgar Caypless' bill
10 modify the election laws was re-
.erred to a subcommittee consisting of
Mr.. Graham, of Penn, and Mr.. Thay-
ar. of Mass, but they were agreed that
t should be shelved. Mr.. Caypless and
Mr.. Wilcox were at the committee
.oom two or three days ago to ask con-
liberation of the bill but Mr.. Thayer
old them it could not hope for favor
lble consideration at this session.
EUSTIS IN WASHINGTON.
Mr.. William Eustis, of Minneapolis,
Who was recently in Honolulu. inspect
ng sites for new public building, has
ONE to Washington and his official re-
,ort is expected within a few days
t will be forwarded to the Speaker OF
he House of Representatives, printed
nd referred to the House Committee on
'ubIic Buildings and Grounds. 1t is {
ardly to be expected that Congress
,ill at this session appropriate any s
money for a public building at Ho- {
olulu or Hilo. The House committee
4 preparing an omnibus bill but it Is l
D cover projects already begun. t
Mr. Eustis was at the Capitol today. {
nd at the request of Secretary Shaw t
Continued on Page 81. II