This situation, however, is neither safe nor satisfactory. As a Terriy of the United States our circulating medium should be uniform with the currency of the mainland and should be a United States legal Bender, particularly as no monetary disturbance would result from techange, our coins being of the same denomination, weight, and fineDas the United States coins, and, as above stated, circulating together with them at par. On the other hand, without United States legal due behind them conditions are apt to arise at any time to interfere with the circulation of our Hawaiian coins and cause serious financial stur ance, which would specially affect the laboring classes of the Territory, who could ill afford it. Wbg to refer you to the letter of our postmaster-general to his Department in Washington on this subject. As stated by him, Hawaiian silver is taken in large amounts by the island post-offices in payment of money orders. The coin is shipped to Honolulu and posited with the Government depository, the First National Bank. Liis Hawaiian silver the bank can not count as reserve, neither can it e shipped by anyone to the mainland and used for credit in account. For tese reasons it might accumulate to such an extent as to cause rious inconvenience. In fact, if from any cause a general demand -Lodi be made for United States legal tender and the Hawaiian silver fused it would be impossible for the banks to find an outlet and conue to maintain its parity with gold, not that it is not required in relation, but simply from not being a legal tender. We would call attention to the fact that the custom-house of this city will t receive the Hawaiian silver in payment of duties, thus causing convenience to the business community. As a remedy for this dangerous and unsatisfactory situation we would urge the prompt passage by Congress of the act introduced at tsession relating to Hawaiian silver coinage and silver certificates 210) which is satisfactory and meets the requirements of this Tertory. Our coins are in good order and have suffered but little abraon, and the cost of transportation and recoinage into United States silver would be small to the Federal Government. We estimate that there is now left in circulation of the original coinage of $1,000,000, say, $900,000 in Hawaiian coin, the dimes having tirely disappeared. There is at present a considerable amount of United States silver in tis Territory, which alone is not sufficient for our requirements, and the recoinage of the Hawaiian into United States coin and return of he same for circulation in the Territory is necessary, and would, in our opinion, result in an increased demand for silver coin. Very respectfully, CLAUS SPRECKLES & Co. THE BANK OF HAWAII, Ltd., By C. C. COOKE, Cashier. BISHOP & Co. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF HAWAII AT HONOLULU, By CECIL BROWN, President. THE YOKOHAMA SPECIE BANK, Ltd., By T. J. MANISKI, Manager. The above signatures include all of the Honolulu banks. MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION OF HONOLU Hons. J. H. MITCHELL, J. R. BURTON, and A. G. FOSTER, Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto GENTLEMEN: At a special meeting of the Merchants' Asso Honolulu, held September 10, 1902, the following named g were appointed a committee to present a memorial from thi tion to your honorable body: Messrs. George W. Smith. Dimond, J. F. Humburg, J. Wakefield, and Robert Catton. I beg further to inform you that at a special meeting of t association, held September 11, 1902, the said memorial wa and indorsed by unanimous vote of this association. Very respectfully, yours, W. W. HARR Secretary Merchants' Association of Ho HONOLULU, HAWAII, September 12, Hons. J. H. MITCHELL, J. R. BURTON, and A. G. FOSTER, Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Ric SIRS: The undersigned, a committee duly appointed by th chants' Association of Honolulu, beg to submit for your consi the following memorial on the economic and other conditions Territory. We will assume that you are conversant with the fact that tion to the United States has resulted in a serious pecuniary los government of Hawaii through the transfer of the custom-ho internal-revenue receipts to the Federal Government, and pro state how, in our opinion, this loss may be neutralized to the ady of both the Federal and Territorial governments. SUGAR. To the growth of the cane and its manufacture into sugar is o commercial, if not the political, position of these islands to-day. industry, fostered by the reciprocity treaty before annexatio been seriously injured since then by the application of the States labor laws and Chinese-exclusion act. While yielding to in our desire to see this become "a white man's country" to the extent possible, it has been demonstrated on several occasions is impossible for the white man to labor in the cane fields, ever high rate of wages. We would therefore suggest a relaxation laws just referred to, such as would enable our planters to draw from Asia and get enough of it under such restrictions as it might right to Congress to indicate This class of labor, if brought under proper conditions, would not come into competition with Ar can labor. As merchants we leave the further discussion of matter to the Planters' Association, but the sugar industry is so much the most important of all Hawaiian enterprises that it ough think, to occupy the first place in such a memorial as this. FIRE CLAIMS. provision for payment of losses incurred in the stamping out of the bubonic plague in Honolulu, 1899–1900.) We respectfully submit the following facts: (1) That the property destroyed and for which compensation is elaimed was only condemned to destruction after a careful examination by the board of health, and that said board of health was satisfied that the premises to be destroyed were plague infected. A careful record was kept of each building or block of buildings destroyed. (2) That the disaster of January 20, 1900, where property covering approximately 35 acres of land was swept away by fire, was caused by the sanitary fire (started by order of the board of health) getting, with the aid of a strong trade wind, entirely beyond the control of the fire department. (3) That the sole object and purpose of those sanitary fires was to contine the epidemic to the closest limits possible, in order to prevent the dread disease reaching the shipping in port and the western coast of the mainland, and to hold it within the contaminated sections of the city. (4) That the losses incurred by the destruction of buildings, household property, and merchandise was largely in excess of the amount $1.473.173) which has been awarded by the fire claims commission to the various claimants, and that the said claimants will cheerfully bar a considerable portion of their direct losses as well as the whole of their indirect losses, for which no claim whatever has been made or allowed. (5) That it is an undoubted fact that the business of the community has suffered severely and is still suffering from the nonpayment of these claims, and if same are not paid within a reasonable time many of these claimants, who practically lost all their subsistence in these anitary fires, will be forced into bankruptcy. (6) We respectfully suggest that your honorable body examine with care the records of the board of health, which controlled the welfare of the port and city during the epidemic of the bubonic plague, as also the records of the proceedings of the fire claims commissioners, and we believe these records will fully satisfy your honorable body that no wanton or unnecessary waste of property was permitted and that the whole purpose of the sanitary fires was the eradication of the bubonic plague. (7) The inability of the Territorial government to meet the payment of these claims has been rendered evident by statements now and heretofore made to your committee. We would, therefore, urge the appropriation by Congress of a sufficient amount to cover the awards made by the fire claims commis We wish to bear testimony to the efficient work done during the past two years by the United States Marine-Hospital Service, and we would respectfully urge your recommendation of such appropriations a will provide for the extension and further equipment of the quarantine station in Honolulu. HARBOR ACCOMMODATION. We respectfully suggest that the cost of maintaining and impr the condition of our harbors be borne by the Federal Treasury the burden of maintenance and improvements necessary to me changing conditions resulting from the ever-increasing tonnage o sels built is too heavy for this community to bear when depriv the revenue from the customs receipts. We beg respectfully to emphasize the fact that the benefits fro execution of public work of this character are more of a national local value. More American shipping tonnage puts in at island than at any other ports of the world, outside of those of the main It is highly desirable for the fostering of United States shipping our harbors be deepened and continually kept clear of mountain so that ships of large tonnage can be brought into harbor and wharf in safety. Shipping interests between the Orient, Austi colonies, and Western American ports will be greatly furthere having safe, deep harbors and good wharf accommodations at Hil Honolulu. To provide for the larger class of vessels, both of the mer marine and Navy, which are now coming into use on the Pacific. a matter of great importance that channels should be deepened harbors enlarged to admit of safe entrance and speedy handli cargo and fuel. FEDERAL BUILDINGS. The necessity is apparent for better provision for offices for various departments of the Federal Government. The post-office custom-house are not adequately provided for prompt handling of business which comes to them. Other departments are using ro in buildings which are needed for the use of the Territorial gov ment, and it would seem to be for the best interests of all that a eral building should be erected without loss of time, where Fe offices and courts could be established and the rooms in the build which were formerly used by the Territory given up again for use. CURRENCY. The existence of two sets of silver coins is an anomaly which cause much trouble if, for any reason or without any good reason. repudiation of the Kalakaua" dollar comes about. It is intrinsic of the same value as the United States dollar, so that the cost of re ing it would but slightly exceed that of recoinage, a cost so small in e parison to the advantages to be derived that we trust Congress take the necessary steps to insure the passage of the bill recently bet it for that purpose. LIGHT-HOUSES. We heartily indorse the statements made before your honora Commission, by the secretary of the Territory, as to the necessity having the island coasts properly lighted. TRANSPORT SERVICE. The Merchants' Association would urge that the port of Honolulu (an American port) be the mid-ocean stopping place of the transport serv ice between Manila and San Francisco. CONTRACT FOR SUPPLIES. The Merchants' Association would urge upon the Federal Government the advisability of offering tenders to the local merchants for supplies for the departments of the Army and Navy stationed at Honolulu, and, other things being equal, to award the contracts to local bidders. COFFEE. This, one of the minor industries of Hawaii, has suffered of late. rears chiefly from the increased supply of the South American product. In any future readjustment of the tariff we would bespeak your consideration for Hawaiian coffee. CUSTOM-HOUSE. In conclusion, we would respectfully submit that the withdrawal of the customs receipts from the Territory is responsible, to a very great extent, for the existing financial stringency. Figures have been presented to you in the memorial from the Builders and Traders' Exchange, and it is unnecessary for us to repeat them. In view of this large contribution to the Federal revenue, it would seem to us that the cost of such improvements and appropriations as have been suggested is well provided for. For the Merchants' Association of Honolulu: W. W. DIMOND, Committee. CIVIL LAWS OF 1897. DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY-GENERAL. CHAPTER 71.-The attorney-general.. SEC. 1013. The attorney-general shall appear for the government, personally or by deputy, in all the courts of record of this republic Territory), in all cases criminal or civil in which the government may be party, or be interested; and he shall in like manner appear in the district courts when requested so to do by the marshal of the republic. (high sheriff of the Territory) or the sheriff of any one of the islands. SEC. 1014. He shall also be vigilant and active in detecting offenders against the laws of the republic (Territory), and shall prosecute the |