The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-19
GOVERNOR EXPLAINS WHAT THE
ORGANIC ACT AMENDMENTS ARE
Makes Plain Statement Before the Chamber
of Commerce and Invites Criticism
of the Members.

Clearly, concIsely and without the
slightest reference to the fact that his
actions had been more or less eriti-
cized during his absence in Washing
ION, Governor Frear outlined a portion
of the work he had done at the Cap
ital and explained the proposed amend
ments to the Organic Act, at special
meeting of the Chamber of Commerce
yesterday afternoon. The meeting was
a crowded one, a large number of the
representative business men of the
city attending and paying careful at
tention to the Governor s remarks.
After the Governors speech, which
lasted upwards of an hour, request
on his part for questions concerning
any of the points which might require
further explanation found no one in
doubt and there was ready response
to the vote of thanks offered.
A meeting of the Chamber will be
held later in the week to consider the
question of forwarding endorsements
or criticisms of the various proposed
amendments to the Delegate.
Among those present at the meeting
We're E. A. Mott-Smith, Mayor Fern,
f. M. Swanzy, Gerrit, P. Wilder, G. M.
Cooke, w, E. Brown, ID. Kalauokalani,
Jr., James BickneG, Iii. M. Won Holt,
j. f. Hackfeld, j. R. Gait, E. d. Ten
ney. G. H. Cooke, Senator Diekey, Lloyd
Childs, T. j. King, w. w Hall, Judge
p. L. Weaver, James A. Rath, A. Lewis,
Jr., G. p. Castle, E. Berndt, j. Gilman,
=. Faxon Bishop, Judge Kingsbury,
Fred L. Waldron, E. A. Sehaefer, f.
G. Anterior, A. ]. Campbell, Norman
Watkins, George Davies, Judge A.
Perry, r. w. Shingle, w. r. Castle,
A. F. Judd, F. B. McStoeker, Z. A.
Thurston, R. Ivers, B. F. Dillingham;,
F. J. Lowrey, Mark P. Robinson, J..
C. Cohen, A. Gartley, A. w. 7. Bot
tomley, W. II. Babbitt, G. s. Desky and
Fl. P. Wood President Morgan pre-
sided over the meeting
President Morgan: The meeting
will please come to order. This is a
special meeting of the Chamber of
Commerce, to which we have invited
those who would like to hear from
Governor Frear in regard to the
amendments to the Organic Act. This
Chamber has been asked by our Dele
gate, Kuhio, to send resolutions-to
send the consensus of our opinion rel
alive to these amendments. The
amendments have been published in
the paper, and it has been thought adj
visable that Governor Erear explain,
section by section, these amendments.
/ will present Governor Frear. Gap
plause.)
Governor Walter F. Frear: Mr..
President and Gentlemen, wish first
to express my appreciation OF the IN
terest you have taken in this matter
and of affording me this opportunity
to say a few words on the subject. The
bill, as you know, is one to amend a
number of sections of the Organic Act
and repeal one section. It's principal
feature is that relating to the land
laws, but it was thought best to in
clude in the bin practically ali of
the amendments which seemed to be of
special Importance and which the ex-
perence of some years past seem to
call for, so as to avoid as far as posi-
BILE having to apply again to Congress
for amendments; at least, for some
time to come. As You know, the Or
nd
her of times already. 1t is best not
tos tinker with it too much, | think.
and to include at the present time as
much as we think is clearly necessary.
1t is no easy thing to draft bill, es-
peeiallv one on complicated or diff
cult subject ] must plead guilty to
having drafted the greater part of this
bill. On the steamer, / consulted Mr..
Newell and Judge Ballou upon the pre-
Iiminarv draft. and in Washington
went over it at great length with our
Delegate to Congress and Mr.. MeClel-
Ian, and in some measure with Mr..
Hatch, though | did not have the OPP
portunity to go over the entire bill
with him. ! went over it also in de-
tail with Secretary Garfield. IF there
is any censure to be attached, l wish
to bear it all; if there is any credit,
7 wish to share it with these other
gentlemen to whom L am indebted for
valuable suggestions. My general pur-
pose or aim was to put in the things
which seemed to be of immediate press
ing importance or might at any time
prove to be of pressing Importance, and
to omit such matters are were not OF
sufficient importance to Justify amend
ing the act, although there were a
number of such that I thought it would
be very well to have; also, as far as
possible, to eliminate such matters as
might be the subject of decided diff