Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-04-06
SENATE WORKS ON
MAKING BUDGET

While congress last night debated
the war issue in Washington, the local
senate, meeting as i committee o. the
whole, argued QUO The general aprrc-
priation bill for me coming tWoyrar
period. The national legislators fin
ished their work at . O'Clock this
morning: the territorial legislators at
midnight. 49,.
Such action as Was taken is not
final, necessarily, for the committee
has yet to report TO thu senate proper
and the bill mTst still pass that bCdy.
Members of the finance committee OF
the house sat as guests of the senate
committee during the evening.
Castle Announces War Declared
II was shortly after 10 o'clock that
Senator Al Castle rose, and every
body supposed IL was to argue some
question under discussion.
Gentlemen" he said, lit may be Of
interest to this body to know that
war has been declared" ~. H.
Silence for a long 10 seconds fol-
lowed his announcement, then the
committee settled back to work But
shortly afterward when the commit
tee returned to the loose ends II had
left in the appropriation bill the eff
feet OF the war announcement was
felt Brig. Gen. Samuel /. Johnson
was given a raise in pay from $500
to $500 month and the salary of his
assistant, Maj Lawrence Redington,
was increased from 5000 to $3.50.
Item by item, sometimes slowly and
sometimes swiftly, the committee
passed over the bill. 1t would jump
an item involving thousands to hang
up soon after on a fraction involved
in some individual salary.
There were raises apIenty, however,
over the salaries named in the ap-
preparation bill and some of them
were as follows: George X. harrison,
photographer, $500 to $780,. Forester
Charles Judd, $500 to $3.50; Gen. John
son and Maj. Redington as already
named.
Public Works Criticized
The office Of the public works de-
partment came in for considerable
criticism and light bantering during
the evening, Chillingworth being the
chief questioner as to various items
He thought there were too many en-.
gineers on the list. Action on the de-
partment was finally deferred.
Considerable discussion arose as to
the legality of the emergency fund
which the ways and means commit.
tee has introduced as a substitute for
The governors contingent fund, as the
governor has intimated that he be-
lieves the plan is not in accord with
the Organic Act.
The question lies in the placing of
funds into the hands of the chairmen
of the two finance committees for dis,
tribution-money which they have
helped to appropriate. A similar
question has arisen over the emery
ency fund of 100000 which Senator
Baldwin has proposed for the families
of national guardsmen rendered desti-
tute through the call to the colors.
Opposition from Senators Chilling
worth and Castle rose when Senator
Single tried to put through his favor.
tie plan Of having the surveyor gem
eral under the land commissioner.
The two buckled Single right heav-
fly and it looks doubtful now If the
plan, will ever carry.
In general, the salaries and items as
set down in the appropriation bill in
troSuced by the ways and means
committee carried last night with the
exception of a number of deferred
items and those already detailed in
the foregoing paragraphs.