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Hawaii Organic Act: Congressional debates on Hawaii Organic Act

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GOVERNMENT FOR HAWAII.
February 6, 1900                The bill (S. 222) to provide a government for the Territory of
Senate                          Hawaii was announced as next in order.
v. 33 (2)                     Mr. COCKRELL.   Let that be passed over.   There is no need
p.  1599                     of wasting time in debating that now.
                              The PRESIDENT pro tempore.   The bill will be passed over.

LANDS ON OAHU ISLAND, HAWAII.
February 8, 1900      Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. Some days ago I asked unanimous
Senate                 consent for the present consideration of the joint resolution (S.R.
v. 33 ( 2 )           76) withdrawing certain lands on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, from
p. 1648               the public domain, which I then reported from the Committee on 
               Public Lands. I see that both of the Senators who had some 
               questions about it on that day are present to-day, and I again ask
               for its present consideration.   I deem it a matter of sufficient
                   importance to make the request.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Wyoming asks 
unanimous consent for the present consideration of the joint resolution 
indicated by him. Is there objection?
There being no objection, the Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, 
proceeded to consider the joint resolution.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The joint resolution has heretofore been read.

Mr. SPOONER. I should like to ask the Senator to explain in a word, if he 
can, what the object of the bill is?

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. It is simply this: There is a tract of probably 
a hundred and twenty thousand square feet of land in the suburbs of 
Honolulu which has been for many years dedicated to the purposes of a royal 
mausoleum. It has upon it buildings built by the Hawaiian government, and 
the people there are very solicitous lest it shall become a part of the public 
domain of the United States and either be divided up or let out for show 
purposes. It may be a mere sentiment on their part, but they are very 
solicitous about it, and on my visit to the island I was asked to take up the 
matter-and I do so in this manner-to withdraw it from the public domain.

Mr. FORAKER. The Senator from Wisconsin asked one of the questions I 
wanted to ask. There is another he did not ask, and it is one which has not yet 
been answered. There are about 120,000 square feet. Can the Senator  tell  us 
whether it is all occupied or all in use? That is a considerable tract of ground 
for the royal family alone to have for burial purposes.

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. It is not so very large when you come to consider the 
dimensions. I think perhaps it is 250 feet on the street, extending backward so 
as to contain in all about 120,000 feet. There are upon that ground one or 
two buildings, one a building for the caretaker of the grounds, the other a 
mausoleum, a Gothic building of stone, and one or two subterranean vaults. 
The land is all needed for the purpose for which it has been re-served, and is 
all properly cared for and set out in walks, with trees, etc.

Mr. COCKRELL.   What is the depth of it?

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. The Senator's arithmetic will tell him. I should 
say it is 250 feet in front. The dimensions are all given in the joint resolution. 
That would make it--

Mr. COCKRELL. I did not hear the joint resolution read. In fact, it has not 
been read to-day.

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. There are 120,000 square feet, and I think it is not 
more than 250 feet in front, extending back--

Mr. COCKRELL. Is there anything more than a reasonable space around 
the mausoleum and the buildings?

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming.   1 think it is only a reasonable space.

Mr. SPOONER. Will the Senator allow me to inquire what was the 
condition of the title before the annexation of the islands by Congress?

Mr. CLARK of  Wyoming.   It was public land.

Mr. FORAKER.   Was not this a part of the Crown land?

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming.   No; it was a part of the public land.

Mr. FORAKER. It was part of the land set aside originally for the 
government.

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming.   For the government.

Mr. FORAKER. I understand that originally the public do-main was 
divided into three classes.

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. Three classes-the government one-third, the Crown 
one-third, and individuals one-third.

Mr. FORAKER. One-third for the government, one-third for the Crown, 
and one-third for the people.

Mr. CLARK of Wyoming. This belonged to the public lands, and was taken 
over by our Government the same as the Crown lands.

Mr. GALLINGER. There is one matter which troubles me, and probably 
the Senator from Wyoming can readily explain it.

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