The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-02-23
THE civic FEDERATION
MAKES REPORT OF WORK

plicable to the subject In this Terri
tory. The committee came TO the con-
clusion. and 50 reported. that the sys-
tenn adopted In lwilei had no warrant
In law, but found. much to their sur
prise. that the Act To Mitigate Section
90 OF the Penal Code of 1863. and the
laws amendatory thereof. had never
oeen repealed and had been recently
Incorporated In the Appendix to the
Revised Laws, prepared by commits
sion or which two OF the Judges of the
Supreme Court were members. and
adopted by the Legislature OF 1906.
They recommended that this act be
repealed, and Senator Dickey. one of
the members of the Executive Commit
tee, introduced bill for its repeal.
which passed the Senate, and was
favorably recommended in the House,
but failed to pass because of the pres
sure of business at the end of the
session. AS result of the agitation
the "Iwilei experiment" so-called was
abandoned, and no further attempt has
been made to revive it,
We again call attention to the ex
istence on the Statute Book of the Act
TO Mitigate and to the fact that un-
less II is abrogated by the Edmunds
Act, which is at least doubtful, that
II should be repealed. unless intend
ed to be in force.
The committee has had under con-
sideration throughout the year uues-
tions arising under the liquor laws i'm
various phases. We have called to
the attention of the authorities in a
number of instances, the illegal sale
under the existing law, and as a rule
prompt measures have been taken to
enforce the law. We wish, however,
to again call to the attention of this
committee the unsatisfactory character
OF the existing law licensing dealers in
intoxicating liquors. The Act, as we
understand IT, was drawn in good faith
oy leading members of the liquor trade,
but we are assured that some of the
very men who drew 1t are not salts
ned with 1t in operation. In practice
II has been productive of fraud, and
its evil effects are being seen through
out the islands. 1t is quite possible
that II may have diminished the num-
Der OF illegal drinking places in Ho-
nolulu, but we doubt whether it is
entitled to any considerable credit on
tnat account SO far as moral effect
on the community is concerned.
We have devoted much time and
consideration to the gambling ques-
ton. We have consulted with the au-
thorities, and have taken the matter
up on several occasions with Governor
Garter, seeking to devise some method
to mitigate the terrible evils which
gambling is bringing upon this COM
munity, both I'm drawing from the
poorer class of the people money which
should go into the sustenance of the
nVes OF themselves and their children,
IN corrupting their ideals of life by
substituting in place of patience and
industry, feverish dream OF getting
rich easily and quickly,-and in the
quite important particular of its cor
ruption of the public service through
the participation, either directly or in
directly, in the enormous profits of
carrying on gambling games We
watched with interest the fight of the
Advertiser" on the leading white
gambler, and we know from evidence
which is indisputable that the result
of that fight was the temporary ruin
of his business and the suspension of
a game which had been yielding very
great profits, 80 per cent of which
were set aside for protection"
l Is more difficult to reach the more
important che-fa games, primarily be-
cause the white gambler trusts no.
body and the actual money is present
at the game, whereas the Chinese, by
the system of confidence which they
have devised, make 1t very difficult to
reach the offenders, and the chief
banker had intrenched himself in off,
cial influence so strongly by contrib
uting money in political campaigns,
and by division of his enormous profits.
1t woud seem impossible to secure
any adequate cooperation from the
police. We finally came to the conclu-
sion that the only efficient method was
privately and publicly to awaken pub
lie sentiment to the evil and we re-
joice to see that the present grand
jury has struck courageous and effec-
tive blow at this infamous blot on our
, civilization.
! We have also taken up the subject
of the sale of obscene pictures with
the County Authorities and Mr. Rath.
The worst offender was convicted
and fined by Judge Whitney, but there
is still much which might be done in
this field. in which 1t Is not easy to
determine how far the law Is applica-
BILE and how far 1t is susceptible Of en-
forcement.
The committee has had various minor
matters brought to their attention with
which they have dealt. mostly with
out any need of reference to the Ex-
ecutive Committee. They regret that
they have not been able to accomplish
more In a field so fertile, so full OF
need. but they rejoice to see some
signs OF awakening to the necessity
of purer moral tone. a higher con-
ception OF official duty and a more
strenuous enforcement OF salutary
laws.
Respectfully submitted,
| DAVID L. WELLINGTON,
DoRBMUS SCUDDER.
ED. TOWSE.
Committee on Law and Order.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELEc.
TIoN.
A