Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-17
PROHIBITION URGED
rying to Suppress Liquor
Traffic in Hawaii.
0HNS0N BILL FAVORED
enate Committee Hears Delegates
to Reformers' Conclave.
EMINENT IN THE ISLANDS
John g. Woolley Charges That the
Liquor Lobby Has Dominated
the Hawaiian Legislature.
EMINENT IN THE ISLANDS

Charging that the legislature of Hawaii
| is so dominated by liquor lobby that ii
will not carry out the wishes Of ma
my Of the people of the islands for
temperance legislation, John G. Woolley,
superintendent Of the Anti-saloon League
for Hawaii, told the Senate committee on
Pacific Islands and Porto Rico today that
ongress should pass a bill making the
stands dry.
The committee granted a hearing this
morning to delegates to the reformers
,onclave. which has been in session In
Washington this week, on a bill intro
iuced by the late Senator Johnson OF
North Dakota Ito prohibit selling in
toxicating beverages in the territory OF
Hawaii"
w. F. Crafts, head of the international
reform bureau of this city: John G.
Woolley of the Anti-Saloon League and
=. c. Dinwiddie, International secretary
Of the Good Templars' Order and vice
president Of the National Interchurch
Temperance Federation, were the speak
ers. About fifty of the convention dele
gates were In attendance
Opposition of the Legislature.
Mr.. Woolley explained that the bill in
question had been Endorsed by prominent
and representative men of the islands
and by churches attended by the natives.
Although he started an agitation for a
bill and found great sympathy in it's ia
vor. he said. the legislature Of Hawaii
passed a resolution protesting against the
bill on the ground that 1t would be an
assumption on the part Of Congress that
the people of the islands were not ca
pable of governing themselves.
This legislature Of the people. only
ninety years away from barbarism, is
composed almost entirely of natives" he
explained. They are patriotic and de-
sirous OF doing right, but they yield to
pressure. Strong white men dominate
them; they go to pieces under the pres
sure of the white men. And the pressure
exerted over those in the legislature is by
the liquor lobby.
1.-The people of Hawaii are children.
The commission of whites, which governs
the islands, finds it hard to stand against
the pressure Of the liquor men. And If
that is so, 1t Is also true that the natives
find 1t much harder to Withstand the
pressure.
Il assert, without fear of successful
contradiction that a majority of the peo-
pie of the islands would favor such bill
as this. Every good woman in Hawaii is
for 1t, and practically every good man.
who is not in politics. is for it.
1T is impossible to get even local
option bill through the legislature OF
Hawaii The liquor people know they do
not dare to submit the question to a
popular vote of the people,
Liquor Traffic In Hawaii.
The LIQUOR traffic was introduced into
the islands by some escaped convicts-
tSey bringing a knowledge of the art of
brewing. While it was under royal rule
the kings opposed the selling of liquor
to the common people. But shortly before
its annexation by the United States
Hawaii became OPEN to the liquor traffic.
The Hawaiians drink. he said. to get
drunk. They can purchase 'Dago Red
for 90 cents a gallon; and that is sufficient.
SO strong is the liquor. to keep two fami-
lies drunk for some time.
Mr.. Woolley also pleaded for the pass
age of the bill on the ground of afford
ing necessary protection for the Ameri-
san soldiers. stationed in the islands.
Without such law, he commended, the will
of Congress in removing the canteen from
the army is practically nullified.
A number of petitions from Hawaii. in
favor Of the bill, were also presented by
the speaker One was from wives and
mothers of the island capital; others
were from ministerial unions and from
churches.