The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-11-03
THE HOUSE.

Had Representative Charles Rice of
Kauai followed up his advantage yes
terday morning and forced vote on
the concurrent resolution introduced by
him, the work of the special session,
50 far as the house is concerned, might
have come to an end then and there.
at least, so far as the business for
which the legislators were specially con
vened is concerned. But Rice was gen
erous and did not push his advantage.
by not calling for vote at that time
on the concurrent resolution, he left
the way open for oratory, discussion and
amendment.
After the house had been organized
and, after waiting on the senate for
the organization of that body, had got
down to business, Rice introduced a
concurrent resolution as follows:
''Be 1t Resolved by the House of Rep
resentatiyes of the Territory of Ha-
wall, the Senate concurring:
''That in order to meet pressing
needs and make possible more rapid
development of the Territory along
American lines, the congress of the
United States is hereby requested to
amend the Organic Act of the Territory
entitled, AN Act to provide gov
eminent for the Territory of Hawai-,
approved April 80, 1900, substantially
in the manner and form set forth in
the following bill which the delegate
to congress from the Territory of Ha
wall is hereby requested to introduce
and urge in congress;
II EI,.& - 'ba4
a certified copy of this resolution be
sent to the President of the United
States, the president of the senate, the
speaker Of the house of representatives
and the delegate to congress from the
Territory of Hawaii -
Accompanying the resolution was the
administration or conference bill. Most
of the members of the house apparent
ly failed to appreciate the significance
of the resolution, and had Rice moved
for its adoption, there seems little
doubt but that it would have gone
through without discussion. The reso-
luton being concurrent required but
one reading. Its adoption would have
meant that that house recommended to
congress the passagesof the conference
bill for the amendment of the Organic
Act
Members Gasp.
A few members of the house recog-
nized the significance of the resolution,
as was evidenced by their astonished
gasps But it happened that they were
all members who are in favor of the
administration bill, so, had Rice called
for a vote on his concurrent resolution,
1t would probably have passed without
opposition But he didn t. He APP
parently thought it would be wiser to
leave the matter open for discussion,
so as to avoid any accusations of bad
faith and any determinations. Conse-
quently, the house members will have
full opportunity, in committee of the
whole. to rid themselves of any re-
marks they may have prepared.
How to Avoid Graft
If grating on the part of the mem
bers of the legislature is to be obviat-
ed. the only way to do it is to pay
them at least 1920 a session, accord
ing to the only deductions that may
: be made from speech made yesterday
afternoon by Representative Nawahine.
Nawahine was quite frank about the
matter; he didn t make any bones of
it; the members, he said, needed the
money and had to have it someway.
They coridn I afford to serve the Ter
ritory as lawmakers for the paftry sum
of $500 a session, with 5000 extra for
special sessions and nothing for extra
sessions. They must live. and they
couldn t live on that pay. An increase
to 5000 session. even, as contemplated
in the administration bill, would not
be enough TO insure against grating;
congress ought to authorize the pay
ment of not less that $1,000 a session to
insure the honesty of the members.
Holstein Bushes.
Nawahine did not put his speech in
exactly those words, but that was the
meaning of what he said, and the other
members of the house who understood
either sat back in their chairs and
gasped in establishment. or laughed
with evident embarrassment. The
speaker was distinctly observed TO
blush like young girl kissed for the
first time.
Representative Sheldon, of Kauai.
was more modest in his demands He
thought ths-7 $1,000 a session would be
enough to insu;e against grating. and
moved to amend that administration
thousand.
Aside from few little breaks like
that however. the house made a record
yesterday that promises the 'peedy con !
cIusion Of the work for which the legjs- .
lature was called together. 1t organ /
lied in record time. and before the
SSsoon recess was taken, most of the i'm /
CONTINUED on Page Two)