The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-03-24
A BILL TO INCREASE EXPENSES AND
CREATE A MONOPOLY

Some one has tried to make a cats
paw Of Representative ]. ID. Lewis. by
getting him to introduce House Bill
No. $50. The bill is entitled AN Act
to protect life and property land the
examination and Licensing of engineers
$500"
1t provides for an Inspector i'm Chief,
a Deputy Inspector and two District
Inspectors, all of whom are 10 be paid
salaries by the Territorial government.
This is where it Increases the pubic
expense.
The bill also provides that every boil
er in the Territory shall be inspec ed
once a year, for which fee of $50 for
each boiler inspected is to be charged.
This is where the expenses of the own
ers of steam boilers are to be increased.
1t does not plainly appear who IS to get
the fees, the Government or the In
spectors; but from the general odor OF
graft about the bill, the probability Is
that the promoters thereof expect that
the fees will be perquisites of office.
The bill further provides that it shall
be a criminal offense for any one TO
operate a steam boiler, unless he holds
a license so to do, issued by the In
spector No license is required to o.
crate a boiler which is under the juris-
diction of the Federal Government, o.
to operate railroad locomotives. Why
a locomotive boiler does not mead in
spection as much as a donkey eng ne
or an automobile boiler does not APP
pear.
Three grades of eng neers ara cte-
ated. 1t costs an engineer of the first
grade $40 year; OF the secoad grad
$3.50 per year, and a third grade en-
gineer Sc a year to be allowed to do
business
In order to secure a license. an en-
gineer must pass an exam ma ion before
the Inspector, in 1.-THE Construction and
operation of steam boilers, steam en-
gines and steam pumps and also hy-
draulics, under such rules ard regula-
tons as may be adopted by the Chief
inspector" The bill continues, IF the
applicant is found UNWORTHY, quail
fed and competent" he shall receive a
license.
In order to become an applicant for a
license, man must first produce a
recommendation of two first class
engineers, or one first class engineer
and his employer. What a competent
engineer is to do II he is out of en-
ployment, or II the engineers already
licensed think that there are engineers
enough, does not appear.
Section IS of the bill makes II a Grim
inal offense for a licensed engineer to
operate a U. S. boiler or railroad
locomotive. What the object of this
provision is. is likewise shrouded in
mystery.
The whole bill is unnecessary and
" oppressive.
IT is ostensibly intended 10 prevent
boiler explosions and provide compe-
tent engineers.
IT is really intended to create jobs
for half dozen people, and to create
a monopoly in the engineer market.
The boiler inspection is unnecessary
II we are to judge the future by the
past for there has not been boiler
explosion in Hawaii in fifty years.
The employment of high grade en-
gineers on every picayune little engine
in the Territory is for like reason:
wholly unnecessary. Where such en-
gineers are required, the self Interest
of the proprietors will cause them tc
be employed.
The bill represents private graft a
the public expense. and should b
killed.