The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-02-18
CMail Special to the Advertiser)

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 3.-On'
hearings on Hawaiian matters held il
Washington for a long period was thai
the other day before the Naval Affairs
Committee of the House. 1t pertain
ed to the Pearl Harbor improvement
The meeting had been twice postponed
but the delay was compensated for in
the careful attention that the entire
committee gave to what was said. The
walls of the committee room were
hung with maps. The efforts of Dele
gate Kalanianaole, Judge Hatch and
Mr. Mcclellan were directed to giving
the committee a more comprehensive
idea of what Pearl Harbor is and what
increased naval facilities there would
mean. The purely technical problems
involved in the improvement of the
harbor are dealt with, of course. by
Navy officers. Assistant Secretary of
the Navy Newberry, who has imme-
diate charge of the reorganization Of
Navy yards was also present.
At times quite the whole committee
was standing and peering at the maps
explanatory of the region around Pearl
Harbor. All seemed very much inter-
bic to tell what the outcome of the
committees deliberations will be. 1t
looks a little discouraging that the
leaders of the House in Navy affairs
have decided that there must be
cut of So, ,OO0 900 in the Navy estimates.
That is likely to fall heavily upon
construction work at Navy yards.
The House committee on industrial
arts and expositions is considering an
appropriation of s25, 900 to be used for
Hawaiian exhibits at the Alaska
Yukon exposition to be held at Seattle
in 1909. There is a similar item for the
Philippines. The Delegate, Judge
Hatch, and Mr.. Mcclellan, who ap-
peared before the committee some days
ago to advocate the appropriation,
were guests of the Washington delega-
ton at a dinner a few nights ago.
Several western members of the House
were also guests. The Hawaiians were
called upon for remarks before the
evening was over.
The immigration bill, which is re-
garded as the most important Hawai-
is on the House calendar. There is
nothing to indicate when 1t will be
called up. Representative Hayes, of
California, who is chairman of the
committee on immigration and has the
bin in charge, is hopeful that he will
get it passed. But Hawaiian people
are already familiar enough with the
fortunes of territorial measures before |
Congress to know that such matters
are very uncertain. 1t might secure
early and favorable consideration and |
it might be delayed for weeks and
weeks and even not be called up at |
this session. However, the bill is in a |
much more favorable position now
than was thought some weeks ago to |
be possible.
JUDGE WHITLEY WINS.
President Roosevelt has disposed OF
the case of Judge Lebbeus Wiley of
the extra territorial court of shang
hal by virtually generating him. The
decision has not been formally an
nounced yet but IT is expected now al
most any day. The result, II is ex-
pected. will deter Dorrin Andrews.
former Attorney General of Hawaii,
from resuming his practise in Shang-
hal He has been here this winter,
arriving in town about the same time
that Judge Whitley arrived. but has
departed, it is said. for New York.
He was restored to practise before
Judge wilhey's court, on hint from
Washington following his visit here
last winter, and Of course could return |
there, but 1t is claimed that he might |
prefer TO practise law elsewhere.
The charges against Judge Wiley.
which have appeared many times In
the public prints, were briefly that by |
the quotation Of a decision which con-
tanned language offensive to Catholics. |
he had demonstrated unftness for the |
bench, and that by disqualifying most |
of the American attorneys before his |
bar he had exceeded his authority and
exercised tyrannical power.
With regard to the first charge. It
is alleged that Secretary Root has
found that Judge Wiley was lacking
in tact and discretion, but not to an
extent which would unfit him for the
place he holds, and with regard to the
latter the Secretary is said to have
found the course of the judge credit
able. The character of certain Amer
ican lawyers practising in Shanghai
has been severely criticized, and, while.l
Judge Wiley used a cudgel to rid his