The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-04-04
BROWN WAS
NOT COERCEO

Now, although Senator Brown OF
Hilo has mighty little to say on the
floor, 1t became apparent when the last
batch of 'Hilo papers came to town that
he does do some thinking-and that he
sings a pen that is calculated, with
out expurgation. to throw all kinds of
bomb shells about when nobody is no.
ticing.
The Hilo Tribune, which reached
Honolulu on the Kinau yesterday, con-
tanned this letter:
Honolulu, March 81, 1905.
Dear Sir: have received your favor
of the 18th inst. The county act bill
is still at the Senate and passed Sec
ond reading, with lots of amendments
and insertions. 1t had already passed
third reading in the House. The main
aim in the Senate concerning the coun-
ty bill is to have one county for Ha-
wall
I admit my supporting this motion.
under the remarks made by Senators
Woods and Paris. They said If sup
pOItcu tlt plopositioh tiidt was
to have two counties, then they were
going to use their influence to kill the
county act altogether.
So I saw the only way to have
county act pass at this Legislature is
to support this motion favoring one
county for Hawaii. till II has passed
third reading in the Senate; then it
will go to the House and conference
again. Then and there, I will make
my protest about having two counties
for Hawaii and I know l have got the
support of the house in favoring two
counties for Hawaii.
Concerning the remarks made by
Senator Woods and Paris: Why. they
meant every word they said about kill
ing the county act and 1 knew they
had other friends of theirs in the Sem
ate to help them. This was the reason
why I supported the motion to have
one county for Hawaii. When the
county bill has passed third reading,
I will write to you and let you know
the rest
Yours respectfully,
(Signed JOHN T. BROWN.
To H. Wears, ESQ,
SeCy. Board OF Trade OF HilO.
And the Senators are wondering
whether that letter was written for
publication, or whether Senator
Browns pen has betrayed him into
the hands of bis enemies. For the let
ter might have been pretty good
politics-if privately circulated. 1t
might even be pretty good poll
tics published, II only people saw
1t who favored the two county PROPOSE
tion. But, there are circumstances
that require explanation, perhaps.
In the first place, while it is not ex-
plicitly so stated, there is very clear
inference in the letter that Paris and
Palmer Woods went to their colleague
and coerced him into supporting the
one county proposition. In fact, the
Hilo Tribune heads the story of the
letter Brown was Coerced," and in
its Introduction uses these words:
The letter from Senator Brown,
which was read at the Board of Trade
meeting, throws some light on the
log rolling being done at the legisla-
ture over the county bill"
II never said a word to Senator
Brown about the county act in my
life said Palmer Woods yesterday.
Il did say on the floor of the Senate
that I would vote against the bill If
1t contained the two county provision.
And Chaplain Desha of the House told
me the one county amendment would
be carried through the House If I
would agree on an equitable division
of the Supervisors. But, to Brown,
/ never said a word. All that I ever
said, that he could have heard, was on
the floor"
II did not make any attempt to CO.
cree Senator Brown on the county act"
said Paris. II said on the floor of the
Senate that it would be suicidal to
make Hawaii into two counties-that
the people would be hanging a mill
stone about their own necks. But I
never said word to Brown, nor to
anybody else that I did not say in the
open on the floor. I did not talk to
Brown privately about the bill at all. |
l think that anybody who knows me
will know that would say openly and
in the face of all men whatever 1 have |
to say"
And anybody who knows Senator
Paris will know that. But the ques-
lions arise, what does Senator Brown |
mean by his letter. If he does not mean |
that he was coerced by his colleagues? |
And what does he mean to tell the con-
ference committee that will restore the
two-county provision to the bill?
n.E.