The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-12-17
Two Houses Or One.

editorial discussion of the necessity
of providing for the appointment of
Mobiles gin some manner which
would make them the exponent of
the more conservative sentiment of
the community, not for the sake of
property holders, but for the benefit
of all" let me say that this is ques-
ton which has been found to be of
vital interest in every representative
form of government. While no one
pretends that ownership of property,
or the capacity to earn $500 a year,
is necessarily a measure of ones in
telligenee, or is thoroughly salts
factory requirement for an elector or
a legislator, the difficulty is to find
any satisfactory requirements. Ed
vocational qualifications are easily
reduced to an absurdity, and, more
over, those who can read and write
= may be the reverse of conservatives,
while it is essential to good govern
ment that in some way there shall
1, be check upon ignorant or hasty
J Legislation.
/ venture to suggest that the day
is not far distant when the question
will be discussed in this country of
the advantage of having legislature
composed of two separate bodies,
and that such measure would prove
to be of general benefit. The lesson
which history teaches is that assem-
blies having but one house tend rap
idly to become either the tool of a
single despot or of the still more
despotic and irresponsible multi
tude.
4 If the law-making is done by any
one man or single body of men, I'M
checked and uncontrolled by others,
the result is absolutism, either of the
one or of the many, or else is anar-
chy. How then can the law-making
power best be checked or controlled!
Judicial restraint often is or may be
most valuable; but that may itself
be legislated away by amending the
fundamental law, which creates its
power, If in no other way. The law
making powers should be SO decided
as to check and control each other.
An assembly composed OF but one
house, especially if its members are
all upon the same footing IN respect
of qualifications and tenure of Office,
is practically independent, and all
independent power soon becomes
absolute and tyrannical. 1t is SIM
ply suicidal, with a single house sys-
tenn, to abolish all distinctions be-
tween the legislators.
The provision in the constitution
of Kamehameha III which required
that the Mobiles and Representatives
sit in separate houses, was set aside
in the constitution of Kamehameha
Y. which made but one house, for
the alleged reason, / believe, that
otherwise public business might
come to stand still. While l doubt
whether this was the reason for the
change. and am of the opinion that
II was made in order to nulllfy the
mower of free and intelligent repre-
sentatives of the people, yet even II
n were true that with two houses
many important measures would be
defeated which with single house
would be carried, l contend that
dead lock, or no law-making at all,
Is better than excited. ill-considered
Legislation, done under undue pres
sure and in haste.
Whenever Hawaii shall return to
;ts earlier system of an assembly
comnosed of two houses sitting sep
arstely. it is possible that longer
fennre of Office for the members OF
fbe upper house will secure conserv-
alive members, even with no prop
ertv Qualifications. Each house then
has is natural and healthy division
into two parties, and there is not the
danger which now exists, OF q dIyl-
4s;on between property owners and
|, the large portion of every commun-
;f~ Who have nothing to lose, and,
Is thew think. everything to gain 6y
~.5;cal chasges. The latter condl-