The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-03-14

llIOlldl purposes were 9l,zlO,UUOj ii
1909, $2,OSO,OOO.
The assessed value of property in
the islands was, in 1901, 1O,OOO,OOO;
in 1909, $1S9,OOO,OOO.
The imports and exports have also
largely increased. 1 think, nearly
doubled.
There are in the islands Z dailies,
IL weeklies and semi-weeklies, five
monthlies, and quarterlies.
The water problem is the most inn
portant one in Hawaii. There is
excessive rainfall in certain districts
and very little in others, and a great
er portion of the land suited to popu-
lation lies in arid regions. The work
of conserving the water and trans
ferring it to arid lands is now Teceiv-
ing a great deal of attention from the
territorial government. They have
a commissioner for this purpose who
also looks after reforestation and pro-
pagation. OF the sugar lands, one
half were arid lands and have been
reclaimed at cost of $15,000,0O0, or
about $40 an acre. This reclamation
has been done entirely by private en-
terprise.
sELF-eoVERNMENT RECORD.
Senator Depew went on TO say:
1t is a tribute and remarkable
one, to the self-governing powers Of
the Hawaiian people that they Should
have been granted in the organic act
conditions of self-government which
| have not been given to any other
of our possessions or territories, and
this is explained in the report of the
commission whose chairman was Sc.
nator Cullom, advising the annexation
in which he said;
The underlying theory of our gov.
eminent is the right of self-govern-
ment, and people must be fitted for
self-government before they can lie
trusted with the responsibilities and
duties attaching to free government
These remarks are made to mega
tive the idea that because the people
of the Hawaiian islands can, in the
judgment of the commission, be con
sistently given self-government to dn
extent almost equal to that given &c
the people in the states, it can re
safely inferred that other insular pos
sessions which the United States haze
or may acquire by treaty with Spain
can be granted equal freedom in gov
eminent.
While the organic act provides 70
a continuance of executive, legisIa
tive, judicial and administrative du
ties almost the same as existed I'm
der the republic, and the laws of Ha
waii relating to the public lands ant
other objects were continued in force
and decade has elapsed since annex
alton during which these islands
have exercised self-government, Their
has been no call upon Congress L
interfere with or to curb or to Re
peal any action of the Hawaiian LIE
gislature. On the contrary, in on
or the very few amendments of tn
organic act the powers of that legi;
lature have been enlarged.
The purpose of the present bill l
to so amend the laws under whic
Hawaii has been governed for te
years as to meet present conditions
These amendments provide for an II
crease of the salary of the governo
from $4,000 to $4,000 a year, of men
bers of the legislature from 5000 3
$1,000 a year, of the judges Of the ST
preme court from $500 to $500 TO
the chief justice and from $4,000 I
$4,000 for the associate justices, an
the circuit judges from $4,000 to "a
900 year.
The governor in his presentation
and argument for the bill said tina
the expense of living in Hawaii
from 25 per cent to so per cent grea
er than on the mainland; that if III
salary of the members of the legisl;
ture was made $1,000 a higher elias
of men could be secured to represen
the people; that the salaries of tn
judges were insufficient, as was d.
monstrated by the fact that two
them had resigned to return to tn
practice of the law within the las
year.
Another amendment relates to tn
creation of debts by the Territory an
it's subdivisions and places restrit
N.Nz zy