The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-16

of Hawaii, when our people passed up
on the question, we paid the President
sI2, 600 per year, and it was then con-
sidered reasonable. This bill calls for
$4,000 less than we paid when we hal
the authority and had to provide the
funds ourselves.
Mr.. Kimball. Do you know the
amount of the annual salary OF the
governor of Vermont?
Mr. Mcclellan. / do not.
Mr. Kimball. 1t is $500.
Mr.. Mcclellan. Yes: and a good many
men fight for the honor of presiding
but the proposition is considerably dit
ferent in Hawaii. The class of men
whom we want to fill that office, the men
who have the greatest experience and
ability and the greatest executive ca pa
city, are difficult to obtain. Enough
men could be found who would be will
ing to serve for $4,000. but to secure
the men best fitted to fill the offic=
makes it necessary that an adequate
salary should be provided.
Mr. Lloyd. If governors were select
ed by the native population fren
among those who are residents cou'1
they not be obtained for a much less
sum-?
MI. MCl|IeildH. OHu0T Ic VI 5osiiS
act the governorship is liml+el TO resi-
dents of the Territory.
Mr.. Lloyd. The law does Vt require
that they shall have been born there.
What is requisite for a res:deace@
/ Mr.. Mcclellan. One year.
/ Mr.. Higgins. Suppose the salary of
the governor should remain as it is
now, and an appropriation should be
made for the character of entertain
! ing to which you have referred.
J Mr. Mcclellan. I think that would
be a much better arrangement than
the one we have now, but it would
seem advisable to have the entire
amount provided as the salary attach
ing to the Office.
Mr. Capron. What is the present
salary of the governor of Hawaii?
Mr. Mcclellan. It is $4,000.
! The Chairman. 1t is question
whether there would not be danger, if
! an appropriation were made for the
actual amount expended, that it would
run to an amount far greater than the
figure suggested by your amendment.
Mr.. Mcclellan. I think it would. The
actual sum in any event would run
above that. The salary should be
more than $4,000. l happen to be pretty
well acquainted with Governor Frear
who was ON the supreme bench, and
I know something of the circumstances
leading up to his appointment as gov
ernor. A number of prominent citi-
zens visited him last summer and had
a talk with him because he was in
doubt in his own mind whether he
could consistently accept the Office OF
governor, as he was receiving on The
supreme bench salary of $500, a
place which carried few OF these re-
sponsibilities and outside expenses,
and he was urged by a great many
business and professional men to ae-
cept the office. He had never been
candidate. His acceptance of the Of
flee involved the loss in salary of $500
per year, and the taking on of this
additional burden of expense.
Governor Frear, not being man of
large wealth like Governor Carter, ac-
copied the office out of sheer sense of
public duty, giving up an Office in
which he had practically a life tenure,
one which was congenial TO him. and
a position of honor and trust; I think
it is greatly to his credit that he has
consented to accept the governorship,
because many of the leading members
of the community felt that he was the
best man for the position and that he
ought to accept it, even though on
narrower personal grounds he did not
desire the office Governor Frear is
not pressing the matter of increase Of
salary. He was on here last fall and
he went so far as to refuse to file
data in regard to the matter before
the Secretary of the Interior. He filed
,rla NfI Cf1hJ
concerning Hawaii except on the ques-
ton of salary. I think it is due to
the Governor of Hawaii that he should
| have salary of not less than 100000
so that we could reasonably ask a
| properly equipped and trained man to
carry on that Office and properly rep
resent the people of the Territory and
! the Federal Government.
| The Chairman. In order to get the
matter clearly before the committee,
! can you give any illustration to show
! the increased cost of living in Hawaii
over the ordinary cost of living in
this country?
/ Mr.. Mcclellan. In the first place, the
cost of house rent is greater there.
| Mr.. Brick. What percentage great
err?
| Mr.. Mcclellan. / should say that it
is 80 per cent more there than in the
| average capital city in this country.
In a tropical climate you must have
perforce more servants in order to
| live on the same scale. The cost OF
| keeping servants must be added.
The Chairman. What is the 0rdT-
nary cost of Provisions?
Mr.. Mcclellan. All the food supplies
! are imported and cost proportionately
| more than in this country.
Mr.. Cole. They are imported from
the mainland to the islands?
Mr.. Mcclellan. Yes. sir.
Mr.. Brick. Is the business done be,
| tween the islands more expensive2
Mr.. Mcclellan. Yes, sir Those of
you who have been in the islands have
seen how transportation is carried on
| in the islands, and how expensive it
is TO handle passengers and freight.
The whole scale of living is high.
Richard Harding Davis said that IA
waii has the highest scale of living Of
any civilized country in the world.
The Chairman. l take it there are a
great MANY public officials passing