The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-03-05
HOLSTE|N WANTS
commission ON
CANE PRICES
Resolution Asks Congress to In
Vestigate Contracts Between
Planters and Sugar Mills
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURAL
COMMITTEE FOR ACTION
Chairman ISenberg, Director in
Two Kauai Companies,
Raises Question

Taking the floor yesterday, Speaker
Holstein introduced n concurrent Teso-
luton, which was later referred to the
agricultural committee, in which con
gress is memorialized and requested to
appoint commission, with the ap.
prevail of the President, "to examine
into and investigate the contractual re-
| lations between homesteadeTs and
small farmers and . sugar mill cor
porations" in Hawaii. The speaker
also introduced resolution empowering
the committee on agriculture of the
house to '"send for persons and papers
and administer oaths in order TO fully
investigate the purpose disclosed in the
concurrent resolution aforesaid"
Isenberg on Question Of Privilege
During the afternoon session Chair.
man Isenberg of the agriculture com.
mittee arose to a question Of personal
/ privilege and called attention to the
fact that he was a director in two
Kauai sugar companies and that IL the
house had any doubt on the propriety
Of his presiding as chairman Of the com,
mittee in regard to the concurrent reso.
luton in question he wanted to know
the wishes of the members. =
win Abide by His Oath 40.
HI don't want anything thrown at
me later, I" said the member from Waia.
lac. 81 have taken an oath to do my
duty to the people, and that win
abide by, but l don Z want any qucS-
ton to arise later as TO my motives.
want the house TO decide. -
/, Watkins, Rawlins and Aiu all spoke
words Of praise in behalf Of Mr.. Isen,
/ har., al h,r. tyotaal fha
) sentiments of every member of the
house. This settled it, and Representa-.
= tive Isenberg will preside over the de.
alterations Of the committee Of many
names when the resolution is consid.
cred. a a..
The resolution in full is as follows:
Text Of Resolution ..'f
where's, There Is q large number
of homesteaders and small farmers in
the Territory Of Hawaii engaged in the
raising of sugar cane for sale to the
sugar mill corporations Of the Terri.
tory; and ,... .l.t... 81. .s.".l p.
Whereas, The success and prosper.
ity Of the said homesteaders and small
farmers depend entirely upon the price
paid for sugar cane by the said mill
corporations; and ..' ...-. ..
Whereas, Complaints are made by
the said homesteaders and small farm.
ers that the price paid for sugar cane
by the said sugar mill corporations is
not an adequate one and results in an
unfair division Of the profits Of their
labor and enterprise, the said sugar mill
corporations paying such small prics
for the said sugar cane TO the said
, homesteaders and small farmers that,
at the average price Of raw sugar thu
price so paid for sugar can barely, if
= at all, covers the cost of production;
and 81.
Whereas, The said sugar mill cor.
porations claim that they are paying
fair and just price for the said sugar
: cane so purchased from the said home
. steaders and small farmers; and u
a Whereas, The building up of a
. prosperous citizen farmer population in
: this Territory depends almost entirely
' upon the successful prosecution of the
9 cane sugar industry on the part of said
homesteaders and small farmers and
upon their contractural relations with
the said sugar mill corporations; now,
therefore, be IL -
- Resolved, That the legislature Of
the Territory Of Hawaii doth hereby
, recommend to and petition the congress
of the United States to appoint, and
, the President of the United States to
approve of the appointment of a com.
! mission for the purpose Of examining
into and investigating the contractuai
. relations between the said homestead
ers and small farmers and the said
sugar mill corporations, and more par,
ticularly into the cost Of production of
sugar cane by the said homesteaders
and small farmers as compared wiz
the cost of production by the large sugar
Plantations, with view towards deter.
mining q just and equitable scale OF
D prices to be paid to the homesteaderl
, and small farmers based upon the mar,
ket price of raw sugar, and for the
. further purpose of making such recon-
= mendations to congress, based upon the
D evidence adGuced by such examination
Q and investigation, as the circumstances
= NAV in the oninion of the commission
. SO appointed, seem TO warrant; and be
I it further Il
"Resolved, That copies of this con.
current resolution be forwarded TO the
4 President IF the United States, the
= President of the Senate, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, and
5 to the chairmen of the committees on
e Territory of the Senate and House 0;
t Representatives. " H.%,
e The resolution auxiliary to the above
s is as follows:
:. Resolved, That the committee on
e agriculture, forestry, promotion and i'm
e migration, to whom concurrent resolu
ton No. has just been referred, shat
r, be empowered to send for persons and
i HanerS and administer oaths in order TO
N fully investig gate the purpose disclose
d IN the concurrent resolution aforesaid,
,. the expense of such inquest to be paid
Il ont Of TIE contingent fund Of the house
f upon vouchers approved by the chair.
h man of the committee GU agriculture,
" forestry, promotion and immigration, to