The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-03-18

we may learn the truth, True we have
no vote in congress. but are the cIti
gcns OF Hawaii to be hcnofciaries OF
this sort Of thingi Is this the kind OF
work our fellowcitizcns fighting for
and endorsing the Mahuka building
have been engaged inf Will Demo.
Gratis or Republicans point with pride
to structure obtained in such a wayI
Does Honolulu want to be tarred with
this brushf Where is our principlel
GEORGE r. CARTER.
Honolulu, March IA, 1918.
The article referred to by Mr. Car.
ter isl
Monday, February II, was n red let
ter day in the house of representatives.
That was the day when the house turn.
ed itself into plunder.bund and, in
disregard of every consideration that
should actuate high-minded men deSir'
Gus of faithfully representing the PEG.
pie and needs of their districts, passol
the $25,000,000 pork bill, euphemistic.
ally known as the Omnibus Pullic
Buildings Bill. This bill obligates the
government to spend Mt least $25,643,.
500 upon some 3S5 or 400 public build
ings scattered through the districts OF
the different men who voted for it.
The great majority of the members OF
the house were banded together in this
colossal conspiracy to raid the treas
ury for public buildings which they
knew are not needed, and the construc
tion of which cannot be undertaken
for many months.
The public building business in con
gress is n sham. Some years ago, the
pork grabbers. responsive to the last
faint mutterings of their expiring con
eciences, made tacit agreement among
themselves that they would not pro-
vide for public buildings in towns
where the postal revenues were not at
least $4,000 n year. Even that limit
was utterly ignored in this bill and
many items are included for villages
of population even less than one t ou-
sand and of postal receipts less than
$4,000. There is no public demand
whatever for such a bill There is no
need for such n bill. 1t comes as near
to being pure graft as anything done
under the color of law can come.
The bill was not reported to the
house until SATURDAY. The conspirators
behind it knew that publicity would
be fatal to it. 1t WIS called up for
passage on Monday before there had
been any decent opportunity to study
it's iniquitous provisions. 1t was called
up under suspension of the rules. The
conspirators knew that they could not
stand extended examination and dis
cussion of the measure, so they resorted
to this trick. Under suspension of the
rules, debate is limited to forty
minutes, half of which time is con.
trolled by those in favor of the meas
ure. That left twenty minutes to the
few opponents of this bill in which to
discuss its outrageous provisions There
are 392 members of the house. The
bill carries nearly 400 items. Thus eff
fort had been made by the committee
to silence opposition through the well
known means of "Taking care off,
the different members.
The opponents of the bill had twenty
minutes in which to discuss these 1856
odd items and point out the scores of
indecencies among them.
Able use was made of that time,
however, by two Democrats who have
not heretofore challenged applause for
their actions in the house, Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, of New York, chairman of the
committee on appropriations, and Mr..
Hardwick, of Georgia. Mr.. Fitzgerald
fought the bill with all the vigor of
which he was capable He pointed out
that there are now authorized 29S pub
lie building projects upon which the
treasury department has been unable to
commence work. He showed that it
will be three years before the treasury
officials have completed the buildings
already authorized. He denounced the
sham economists who have been prating
about care in appropriations and who
yet stand for such treasury raid as
this. He denounced the method of
passing the bill and then he specified
some of the extraordinarily inlquItous
in it; for instance, 100000 for Jas.
per, Alabama, a town of $500 people
Las Cruces, New Mexico, 1925, 900, with
less than 1000 population; Marysville
Tennessee, 100000, with less than $500
population and postal receipts of pare.
iy $4,000; Buffalo, Wyoming, with
! 1900 people, $62, %; BeIlefourche
South Dakota, 1900 population, $7o,.
900; Paintville, Kentucky, Dab pc uia,
tIon, $1,000 as a starter, and so on.
~ understand, however, said Mr.
! iiiHbtihiub lHAb Lhi6 bili nus bGSh y
scientifically prepared that it canno
be defeated applause and laughter.
The members on this side (the Demo
"rats) will not the alaerity with which
Republicans, most of whom have beer
turned out because of their betrlya
Of the public trust, applaud this safe
ment. -
Mr. Hardwiek denounced tho bill al
"the worst Of its kind ever reporte,
10 an American house Of repre- enta
tlyes," lie specified twonty.four prop
ositions for towns Of less than 3gOI
population and with postal receipts o
less than $4,000
"The really important thing b.
explained, "s that the demonstration
Is complete that we are about 10 pas
the worst pork bill ever presented 4
this house.
Most significant was the Gual aciioi
on the bin Mr. Fiizeclad demanded
the yeas and nays which, under thl
Consultation ~ the United ktatcs mus
be- spread upon the journal upon M