Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-09-23
SATURDAY PRESS.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER a, 1889.
All matter for the Saturday Press should be
addressed to the " SATURDAY PRESS"
is TT CONSTITUTIONAL

In criticising and condemning the Kings in.
reference with the administration of public
affairs in ways which we did not believe were
legitimate or proper, we have taken this posi-.
tion--that such interference was not merely
oficious and pernicious intermeddling, but an
unustihable and unconstitutional proceeding.
The Constitution, for example, provides, Art.
20, for three several departments in the admin.
istration Of public affairs. 1t does not give the
supreme power into the hands the Sovereign
alone. The Executive, Legislative, and Judi
cial Departments, it declares must be kept dis
tinct. 1t is only by this regulated and balanced
exercise Of the Sovereign power, as experience
has them, that civil government can be wisely,
smoothly, or successfully carried on.
One cause Of the present irritated state OF
public sentiment is that this wholesome provi.
sion of the Constitution has been set aside by
the present Sovereign. The Constitution as
signs to the King the Executive power, but
limits this by various provisions He is the
head, but ought not therefore to assume all the
functions Of the body polite, Is it constitu-
tional for the King to interfere with the Judi.
ciary, as was done at the last legislature
The right Of suffrage, and SO forth, of parti.
cipating in the administration of public affairs
is made by the Constitution, Art. IL, to de-
pend upon certain qualifications Of age, charac.
ter, intelligence and property. But it is not
specified that the wishes of the King must be
consulted in voting for any candidate David
kalakaua used to be "an active politician, VI
as that term is commonly understood While
clerk in a Government Office, he was one OF
sc the workers " in manipulating voters before
election. Now that he has the vantage ground
OF the highest position in the kingdom he can.
not forget his old practices, but must needs
make his influence felt as politician from
island to island, and especially here on Oahu
and i'm Honolulu. Whoever before saw such a
sight as a national army marched up in mill.
tary array to the polls under orders to vote the
Kings ticketl To one Ministry after another
the King has pledged himself to refrain from
all interference with the voting at elections.
such interference than at the last election. Is
Il constitutional to give out word that one set
Of candidates is the Kings ticket, or to give
rival candidates in the same district encourage
ment each to rely on royal support, or to pay
the bill FOR liquor furnished to one of the
parties for electioneering purposes, and SO on
Are these things constitutional
The Constitution provides, Art. 4, that no
money shall be demanded from the people, nor
taken from the public treasury, eseep, in ac.
eordance with some specific vote OF the Legis.
lative Assembly. This money too, is both
assessed as each citizens "share Of the expense
OF protection Of life, liberty and property.
But will the Planters Association agree that il
is constitutional, in accordance with this limit
alton of public expenditures, to take from them
part Of their property for a junketing tour
around the world, OF a coronation carnival, OF
nice douceurs to all the Kings relatives and
dependents' What do the Hawaiian people
themselves say Of the Kings personal solicita-
tion OF votes from their representatives for his
personal ends a, the daily eonvivial ieasts in
the house Of the Minister of Finance Are the
representatives Of the people only the tools OF
the King Is il constitutional to make the will
Of the people thing OF nought by buying up
with Establishments and argesses the votes OF
the representatives, Is this Constitutional
Government
The Constitution provides, An. 81, that ''io
the King belongs the Executive power. His
Ministers are responsible;" and Ant. AZ, "No
act Of the King shall have any effect unless il
be coun,ersigned by Minister. who by that
signature makes himself responsible" These