The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-12
LIQUOR AMENDMENTS
ABRUPTLY HALTED BY
TERRITORIAL SENATE
w O. Smith Leads in
an Effective Protest
BILL Is Postponed.

BY vote of eight to seven the Ter.
ritorial Senate yesterday afternoon de-
cided to postpone consideration of ths
Moore amendment to the existing liquor
law to March 9th. This action was
taken after President Of the Senate
w. o. Smith took the floor and made a
ringing appeal to the members of the
Senate, asking that they listen to the
opinion of the people as expressed by
the petitions and resolutions that have
been received by the Senate.
The action of the Senate not only
came as decided shock to the liquor
interests, who were counting on. rushing
the bill through second reading, but
was hardly expected by the most SAN
.guine. opposers to the liquor law amend
ments as submitted by Senator Moore.
1t is understood that the liquor men
are going to try to nullify the action
taken by the Senate yesterday. They
propose to make motion to reconsider
yesterdays action this morning. By a
majority the bill could be taken from
the table If the motion is made within
twenty-four hours after the action that
it IS desired to reconsider. In the mean
time, it is hoped to whip into line Quinn
and a few of the others who voted for
postponement yesterday.
Senator Smith made an exhaustive
Or CT oh ba lou IT q
insisted that the only element that is
attempting to secure change in the
present law are the liquor interests,
and that the citizens of the Territory
are practically unit against the effort
to tamper with the present effective
measure of control.
Senator Smith IS first motion was for
an indefinite postponement, but this
was changed to motion for postpone
ment to March 9th. He called for
an aye and no vote. The Senators sup
porting him were Baker, Chillingworth,
Fairehild, Kalama, Makekau, Quinn
and Knudsen.
Those who opposed the motion were
Senators Brown, Coelho, Harvey, Nc
Carthy, Moore, Robinson and Woods.
The amendments that were included
in the report of the Ways and Means
Committee were formally included in
the Moore bill. They all went through
the formality of being passed. but
when the enacting clause of the bill
was read by the clerk-the adoption OF
which would pass the entire bill on its
second reading, President w. O. Smith
voiced his protest in such an effective
way that the bill was abruptly halted.
Senator Fairchild of Kauai spoke
against the Moore amendments, and
strongly supported the attitude of Sen
ator Smith. He insisted that the pres
emit law was a success throughout the
Islands and that no action should be
taken upon it until the people were all
given an opportunity TO be heard.
Senate Routine.
Upon the converting of the upper
house yesterday morning notification
was received from the House of Repre-.
sentatives stating that they had con-
Cured in the amendment made by the
Senate to House Bill No. 90, the Super
visor enabling act.
A letter was received from the Wal
luku Improvement Association, enclos'
ing a resolution calling upon the Maui
delegation to oppose any change in the
existing liquor law. The letter was
addressed to the President and mem
bers of the Senate and is as follows:
eat the regular monthly meeting OF
The Wailuku Improvement Association,
held in Waikiki on the 4th day of
March, 1909, at which meeting nineteen
members of the association were pres
ent, the enclosed resolution concerning
liquor legislation was introduced, dis
cussed and, upon vote taken, unan-
imously carried.
ssBe it Resolved by the Waikiki I'M
provement Association, That it would
be extremely unwise, at this session OF
the territorial Legislature, to change
or alter the present laws of the Terri
tory of Hawaii relating to the manu-
facture and sale of intoxicating liquors,
AID this association does, therefore, re-
specially petition our Senators and
Representatives to use their efforts IN
continuing in force said liquor laws
without alteration or amendment. -
The communication enclosing the
resolution bore the signature of D. FL.
Case. secretary of the Waikiki I'M
provement Association.
Reply from Pratt.
Commissioner of Public Lands Pratt
replied to the request included in the
resolution introduced Wednesday by
Senator Fairehild, asking that the
heads of the various departments fur
nish the chairman of the Ways and
Continued on Page Two.)