The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-03-31
QUINN BILL
IS,END0RSED

.,amn of its approval on the quinn
Sunday bill at a special meeting heid
q, tho rooms of the association yester-
day afternoon. There was larger at
tendance of the merchants than usuai
and some lively discussion; all, now
ever kent their tempers and there was
no auarreling. Although from the nrst
IL was to be seen that the majority
sentiment was one way the opponents OF
the bill were not dismayed and put In
their arguments with as much assur-
ance as If they had been on the WIN
ming side Like Horatius and his COM
rades at the bridge W. A. Bowen ana
his comrades of the minority, w. W.
Hall and II. A. Jordan, stuck out to
the last and against the overwhelming
majority and although they did not
win the day they at least won the ad-
miration of many Of their fellow mem
bers according to the talk after the
meeting closed.
1t was a foregone conclusion that the
association was for the bill when Mr..
McInerny introduced his resolution en-
dorsing 1t. There was a wave of APP
. proval which swept around the room.
VM. Phillips seconded the resolution
which was as follows:
Honolulu March 2s, 1905.
WHEREAS there Is now pending be-
fore his Excellency. the Governor OF
the Territory of Hawaii, certain Dill,
passed by the Legislature of the Ter
ritory of Hawaii. commonly known as
the Quinn Sunday Bill" and,
WHEREAS the Governor has re-
quested expression from the various
Territorial interests as to their ap-
proval or disapproval of said bill,
Therefore, be 1t resolved by the Mer-
chants Association of Honolulu, at
meeting thereof held at the rooms OF
the association on Tuesday, the 2Sth
day of March, 1906 that this associa-
tion approves, and is unqualifiedly In
favor of law permitting reasonable
recreation and freedom on Sunday.
AND RESOLVED FURTHER that
the Quinn Sunday bill meets the pres
ent requirements of the Territory of
Hawaii as to the observance of sun
day.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that this
resolution be spread upon the minutes
Of the association, and that the Secre-
tary be instructed to forthwith for
ward a copy hereof to the Governor OF
the Territory of Hawaii.
After the motion to adopt had beer
made and seconded President Smith
began to call on the members one a
time for their opinions on the bill
At this juncture Mr.. Bowen arose ant
said that he had heard that Mr.. Smiti
had been introduced by Mr.. Mc1nern,
as President of the Merchants Associ
alton when he made his speech for thu
Quinn bill before the Governor IL thi!
was fact and the president was ther
acting as the representative of the as
sociation why was there any necessit,
of having another expression of opinion
on the part of the association. In re
ply President Smith stated that he ap
peared before the Governor merely a!
a private citizen and Mr.. Mclnern,
stated that he had not introduced hin
as president of the association. HI
stated that the newspaper report &
alton was accepted by Mr.. Bowen AM
the expression of opinions went on.
A number expressed themselves a
in favor of the new law. When MI
Bowen was called upon he spoke a
some length in favor of the presen
law. He said that he would make hi
argument aside from moral and reli
gious considerations although person
Cal hlNafl y fpnfl
that standpoint. But as the desir
evidently was for discussion of tn
subject from another phase he woul'
treat 1t from the purely business stand
point. The main argument against tn
bill, he stated. was that 1t would Civ
opportunities for increasing labor, ant
that II the opportunities were given
the labor on that day would be in
creased. The journeymen BARRIERS ha'
petitipned the Governor that their sun
day hours be not heightened.
Mr.. Bowen then told of the DANCE
that the Orientals would put in sof
drinks and thus be able to remain open
Then they would sell other things II
legally. He understood that the Hig
Sheriff had stated that 1t would b
very difficult to enforce the law anon
this class. As for the plantations h
was sorry to say that work did go o
there on Sundays. Mr.. Bowen sal
that on this question he was in tn
same boat with the late Mr.. Alberto
who said that he would prefer tina
EVA mill close down on Friday nigh
so that repairs could be made on Sat
urday and Sunday be entirely undis
turbed but he had to realize that h
was but one of many shareholders an
that he must recognize the opinion
of others. However. only such wor
: as was absolutely necessary should b
done. Sunday should be the laborin
mans free day. Mr.. Bowen also spok
of the probability of sugar being load
ed on ships II the new law went int
effect. He personally believed that
was not the thing to do to work o
Sunday.
Extracts from some of the other opil
ions are as follow:
M. Brash: Am not afraid of Orient
competition. Many of US close Satu
day nights now and that is probab
the time when the Oriental stores rei
the biggest harvest. The class tn