The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-20

ought to do some wagging on its own
account.
Waiwaiole saw no remedy in cutting
out one of the Oahu members. For
the first time the outer islands were
given some representation, and he
thought the bill as it stood guaranteed
fair treatment for the outer districts
Alfonso Defends Hawaii.
Alfonso announced that Cohen was
off the track in his statistics. He
quoted the census figures of ten years
ago to show that Oahu was not so
! much when compared to Hawaii.
Departmental Mistakes.
Rice stated that the Legislature had
been to blame for not appropriating
for school building for the other is
lands. For Kauai in 1905 there was
$l6,740 appropriated and Kauaians pc
i titioned that this amount go into one
or two good buildings. The board drew
up plans without consulting the peo-
lple of Kauai, built 7-room school with
only tenfoot ceilings. Now they have
| to build new schoolhouse at that very
place. The last Legislature voted $12,-
600 for school buildings on Kauai. At
Kapaa they put up a ten-room school
building two miles away from any,
where in the cane fields. Then they
had to build a new road to get to the
school. These things are what Kauai
wants representation on the board for.
L The speaker refused to allow Long
to interrupt with question. He said
a& two-ffths representation for Oahu
was enough That was the representa-
ton in the House now and Oahu got
fair deal. If the board had to have
six members he favored having the
terms only two years and make the
appointments subject to the approval
of the Senate. He moved that Hawaii
be given two members on the board.
Cohen said strict justice would give
Kauai about one-quarter of a man
say pair of legs.
Kawewehi told something about
schoolhouses in Kailua, where the chill
dren were being taught in a joss house.
He feared that the children would be-
come worshipers. He also object
ed to the teachers salary scale.
/ Rice's amendment to give Hawaii
| two commissioners passed, Sheldon S
amendment to cut down the Oahu rep
resentation being withdrawn. The
amendment passed had the effect de-
| sired of putting Oahu in minority on
| the board.
] Rice then moved to amend so as to
J make the term correspond with the
Legislature terms. Another amend
ment made four quorum, thus making
it impossible to have meeting with
out one outside representative.
Sheldon, after scrap with three Ca
hu members. got the floor to support
the bill on third reading as variously
amended, Douthitt having moved to in
definitely postpone. He related how
some Kauai petitions to fire two teach
ers had been disregarded by the SUI
peritendent of Public Instruction.
Longs Plain Talk.
Long said the question hinged on
whether the efficiency of the board
would be increased or decreased by the
addition of members from the other dis
tricts. Complaints of past treatments
were not a part of the present discus,
sion. He said that efficiency of the
department was the question, not the
petty squabbles of members and the
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
81 see the combination of the mem.
bers from the outside districts to do
up Oahu he declared, pounding his
desk. sin committee of the whole
have seen the native members from
Hawaii and the native members from
Oahu declaring that their race is be-
ing Disseminated against by having
their salaries cut down. How do they
expect to be treated if they do not care
for the good of the Education Depart
ments They must know. now that in
this country it is not question OF
race, but brain against brain. intellect
, against intellect, and If the Hawaiians
want to be respected they must inn
! prove the system of education and take
advantage of it. This is the salvation
of the Hawaiian people, Mr.. Speaker. y
Not Afraid of Women.
Long stated that all through the ses-
sion he had felt the sting of the slurs
east at his committee and the depart
: ment it served. He warned the mem.
bers of the danger of digging into the
salaries of the teachers.
| els it because so many of them are
: women and have no votes that you are
, so brave in attacking thems'' he asked
of the House in large.