The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-11

Court having decided that that is not
a disqualification. Incidentally the pro-
vision against a judge sitting upon an
appeal from his own decision is amend
ed slightly, and the provision against
his sitting on new trial in a case
tried by him is omitted, that by gen
eral consent not having operated well.
The Legislature of the Territory is also
given authority to add other causes OF
disqualification in case they should be
desired, thus obviating the necessity Of
applying to Congress for that purpose.
Territorial Land Titles.
Section 9, Amending Section 91.-Un.
der Section 81, the public property
ceded to the United States upon annex.
alton remains in the control of the Ter
ritory, but the President or the Gov
ernor may set aside any of it for the
uses and purposes of the United States.
In some cases property has thus been
set aside as matter of precaution
which has subsequently been found not
needed. One object of this amendment
is to permit such property to be restor-
ed, but only by direction of the Pres
ident, to its previous status.
Another object of the amendment is
to permit the President to turn over to
the Territory the title of lands used or
desired for use by the Territory for
public purposes. At present the Ter
ritory has schools and other buildings
and public works upon lands the title
to which is technically in the United
States. The Territory is constantly ex,
pending money on these in keeping the
buildings in repair and in erecting new
buildings and public works and ought
to have the title to them. Their pro.
eeeds now all 60 to the Territory. The
amendment also permits the Governor,
when authorized by the Legislature, to
turn over portions of such property to
cities, counties, or other political sub.
divisions for their purposes.
Salary Boosts.
Section 10, Amending Section o.
This is substantially copy of a bill
that was introduced separately at the
last session and is included here for
purposes of consolidation. Tt increases
certain salaries. As to the Governor S
salary / merely call attention to the
! fact that both of my predecessors
strongly recommended this, and that
the Governor is necessarily put to great
expense in entertaining the numerous
army and navy officers and other dis.
tinguished persons, American and for
eign, constantly passing through Ha-
wall AS to the Secretary he acts as
Governor in the 1atter's absence and Is
one of the hardest worked officials at
other times.
/ 1orfI a74fo yiyy }on ySt An.c i'm 10
need of increasing the salaries of the
judges. The people of Hawaii have al
WAYS insisted as far as possible upon
maintaining high standard in their
judiciary The cost of living in Hawaii
is greater than on the mainland and
the profession of the law is not SC
evercrowded there; consequently it is
difficult to get the best men to serve
on the bench without adequate com
pensation. Unless these salaries arr
increased it is probable that in tht
near future several of the best judges
will feel obliged to resign or not &C
cept reappointment.
Federal Health Assistance.
Section Il, Amending Section 81
Section 81 distributes the health author
ity, giving to the United States author
. ity in quarantine matters and to tn
Territory authority in local health mat
ters In view of the special eircum
stances it would seem that the nationa
| government should also assist to som
, extent in maintaining local health cen
I ditions. This it has already done il
! one respect by the establishment of
| leprosarium and the institution of
4 &c
to maintain large military and larg
, naval force in Hawaii and therefore ha
, I a special interest in internal healt
; conditions as well as occasioning great
er expenditures for the maintenance o
such conditions. Hawaii, moreover,
, the filter, as it were, for purifying tn
, stream of immigration and travel fror
. the Orient to the Pacific coast. In othe
words. it is a national necessity tina
the internal health conditions of Ha
, wall should be of the best. Not onl
. is the Territorial government hand
! capped for lack of funds owing to tn
a loss of one and half million dollar
I now paid annually into the Fedora
Treasury in custom receipts, but tn
expense for local health matters is i
!, a considerable degree for the benef
: of and oecasioned by national interest:
, There is constant danger from plague
. cholera, and yellow fever. Moreover
largely as a result of conferences wit
, Doctor Koch. the celebrated Germa
scientist, radical change is being il
augurated in the handling of lepros
with a view to eradicating the diseas,
The emergency fund under the Publf
Health and Marine Hospital Service
g available only after an epidemic ha
{ broken out, and owing to the distanc
I of Hawaii it is practically impossbl
e to obtain an allotment from that at al
q Prevention is better than cure. Their
Z should be fund which can be apple
g by the Governor Immediately when o.
!, casion requires, to be used by eitht
the Federal or the Territorial healt
authorities or by both as may be be-
q under the circumstances. An effort
- being made with good results to brin
n these authorities into close cooperation
e The Naturalization Tang1e.
- Section u. Amending Section 100.-