The Hawaiian gazette., 1888-07-31

our constitutional system an attribute OF
slavery or OF freedom. IL may be SAID that
this Is strange talk coming from "a King
Minister The term is 4 miSno;ner, l
am Kings Minister only IN 50 lar as
the King Is the representative Of the peo-
pie, or IS being my official superior. The
title Kings Minister Is not bread
enough. am the peoples Minister, ami
80 FAR, am the peoples representative,
Ministers are the servants OF the people,
placed in their positions by the people
paid by the people 10 do the peoples work,
and 10 protect and further the interests OF
the people Aud when the peoples inter
ests are opposed 10 the personal wishes OF
the King. / viii act on the side of the peo-
pie. say nothing behind the Kings back
GhSI do not SAY distinctly and eourteouSly
before his face have invariably treated
the King with the courtesy and respect
due TO him in his high position. Members
are here to-day 10 take care OF their own
and their constituents rs well as the
Kings Interests And these interests to-
day demand that the principle for which
we are cOntending should be asserted. l
should be false 10 the srlSt repoSed IN me,
10 the best Interests Of the people and the
welfare OF the Klng himself. if | did not
urge members aS DO 10 pass this bill to-
day. Members of the House, too, Will be
false 10 the principles Of responsible ana
representative government il they do not
vote againSt this veto,
Rep. NAkaieka cited the rules Of the
House 70 show that the discussion OF The
veto message was irregular.
Rep. Kinney said; 1t Is very much TO be
regretted that His Majesty has seen mt 10
exercise the veto power IN 4he way he has.
Ii il had been exercised so that someone
besides His Majesty could be considered
responsible for II. il would be another mat
ter, out In this veto he has cut himself
clear OF hi Ministers ana their adyice, 50
that we are gompelled 10 acknowledge that
be alone anu individually Is responsible for
this act. This is unfortunate, for 1t brings
the House necessarily into direct collision
with His Majesty and no one elsa col
iSion that must necessarily become more
and more unyielding and aggressive with
d repetition OF such yetOeS on his part. BY
yetOing on his own responsibility, he has
neceSSitated 4 personal debate with him,
as it were, on the part OF the House, out
of which he cannot come with the dignity
OF his office unimpsired. Wit, sarcasm and
ridicule ana other legitimate weapons of
debate, when publicly levelled against the
position and reasons advanced by the Sow
ereign, cannot but bring him into posi-
ton not intended for the occupant of the
throne. but yet by disregarding the advice
OF his constitutional advisers, and launch
ing out for himself, he forces such q per-
>Onal issue upon the House. Cannot
the King see where such course will
eventually lead him.
Rep. Paehaole (interrupting)-Has not
the Constitution specifically given His
Majesty the right to veto?
Rep. kinney-G ertainly and what is
more, the Supreme Court has decided that
u = l.. fa-a1 atiaprTraI
but 70 have g right Is one thing. TO exercise
IL Is smother For instance, this House
has the uudlubted right 10 reduce His
Maie>ty's salary TO nifty cents for the ben
nial period, but II does not necessarily fol-
low that 1t would be wise or just tor this
House TO exercise thAr right. In the same
way. the fact that His Majesty has the
right OF veto does not nece >SSny prove
that he can exercise il as he pleaSeS, and
that Is the whole issue to-day, viz: Has
His Majesty exercised that power along
he line of safe constitutional precedent,
and IS : public trust, or has he exercised
II for himself personally and contrary to
the spirit Of the Constitution and the
purposes tor which that power was dele
gated TO him under the Constitution We
believe that . veto against the advice OF the
Cabinet i unwise and dangerous as 4 pre-
ceieut aul otherwise, and should be allowed
only in an extreme national emergency,
which certainly Is not disclosed in the COM
uOnplsce arguments against the Dill SET
forth II the Kings message. Ii such res-
sons are deemed sufficient by His NJ jesty
to Justify an attemp t On his part TO znnul
by Eeso 3 measure brought forward
By his own Government, and to do
Il On his own responsibility, there
Is hardly any important Dill that does not
ran zn equal nix Of veto, Tor most any
measure has some good arguments against
It. - good in fact as those which have any
foundation set forth IN this veto message.
To Indicate by our votes to-day that We
consider the reasons set forth III the Kings
message sufficient 10 justify him IN vetolng
against the advice OF his Ministers, Is To
admit that the principle of irresponsible
power Is = part OF the Constitution, some
thing incompatible with free government
and Unknown 10 Z constitutional mon
zrchy. Bat some may say there Is the
United States Of America Its presidents
and governors have personal veto IN
hamDered b. advice and exercise it freely
too. yet We never have heard OF the Great
Republic being classed aS despite power.
In reply | say that fair inspection OF the
veto power OF q president or governor will
but confirm our position. Great Britain
and TIE United States are the two great
representatives Of constitutional govern
ment They both arrive at precisely the
same results trule by the people, by dill
ferent methods The queen never has
and certainly never would veto without
the consent OF her ministry. This Is neces-
S4ry, for she ike our King Is inYiOlable
and irresponsible and holds the throne 10
herself and heirs forever. On the other
hand, the President Is subject to the Law.
can be flnpezched. i elected and holds for
only four years, and therefore can safely
Be entrusted with 2 much wider power OF
yeto-in fact IN his case il i not irrespon-
sible power az all. but put the President
absolutely above the iaE-mske him ire
spOusibls, let him hold for life with perpe-
tuzl succession 10 his heirs and with such
q veto power as he now has the Great Re
public would be despotic government and
nothing else. Ii His Majesty will sur
render his inviolability a. monarch for
position, Ike the Presidents, subject 10 law
and impeachment; and viii surrender his
life tenure for an elective tenure Of four
years. and Te might safely admit the wide
exercise OF veto that he seems 10 be claim
ing. bot If he desires 70 hold on TO all the
prerogatives OF z monarch, let him also
recognize and live up 70 those limitations
OF kingiy pTerogztiges that make them
secure from abuse, the keystone OF which i
never to depart from tie advice Of his
constitutional advisers | therefore shall
vote not 70 sustain the veto
Noon recess one hour.
Afternoon.