The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-09-30
TEE LEGISLATURE.
EiGHrY-NINTH DAY.
MONDAY, Sept, ~.

to be whether the House should
adopt the majority report or pass
the bill. 1t was question whether
the voice of the people was to be re-
garded The Minister of Finance
had said that we were polced by
foreign naval vessels TO our dis
grace. Perhaps the Minister was
ashamed, because of the false re-
ports that had brought the Charles
ton back here. That was u disgrace
TO the authors of those reports, per-
haps also to the Ministry, but it
was no disgrace to the native Ha-
waiians. The Minister declined to
answer question presented by Mr..
kalua, as to- the truth of reports of
foreign interference, but one of the
Ministers has told round town that
there had been such interference.
His Excelency thought that per-
haps Article 20 was stumbling
block to some members. There
was no argument in that, for, prob
ably, His Excellency left the first
Reform Cabinet in order to get back
now to the loaves and fishes. The
canvassing for votes to defeat the
Ministry had nothing to do with the
question before the House. The
hon. member from Kona was cor
rect in saying he had not been sent
here to do away with the Constitu-
ton, and that all of them had taken
an oath to support the Constitution.
But those who advised them in that
way did not act so in 1887, when
the King and Judges of the Supreme
Court, who were bound in the same
way to support the Constitution,
joined in abrogating it and promul-
eating the new Constitution. This
movement was not to make mere
amendments to the Constitution, but
to make an entirely new one, so that
the arguments did not apply to it.
If vote was taken tomorrow on
the question of having new Consti-
tuition, a large majority of the peo-
pie would be in favor of the mea-
sure. The Minister of Finance had
said this was an after-thought, but
he held in his hand the platform of
the National Reform Party, wherein
q revision of the Constitution was
favored. The Cabinet had promised
y meeting of National Reform men,
bers in conference with them to sup
port measure for constitutional
revision. Now that the Ministry
oppose the project he had no more
confidence in them. Those who
wanted new Constitution in 1887
called meeting, armed themselves,
and forced the measure on the King.
Even if the few non.voters said to
be on the petitions were struck out,
there would still be left 1900, or a
majority of the voters, in favor of a
convention. His Excellency had
stated that the people had more
privileges than before in the election
of Mobiles. That was true, but the
rich man had two votes to the poor
mans one. The Constitution also
gave the franchise to the ignorant
and stupid Portuguese. The com.
mittee had rung in the Chinese
question which had nothing to dc
with the matter. They cited great
many judicial decisions, although
not one of them could tell from wha,
book or page the quotations were
taken. Their inspiration was Dor.
rowed. If the House had no author
iJy to pass the enabling act, how
was the first Constitution obtained
Then when Kamehameha V. failet
to get Constitution from the con.
vention, he dismissed it and gave
the people a Constitution himself
There was no law forbidding him tt
do so. Neither was there any Law
forbidding the calling of a conven
ton now. All the talk about posi-
BILE disturbance was started for ,
purpose. If there would be any
thing of the kind, it would com,
from another element than tn,
natives, for the Hawalians were .
peace'lOVlnS people.
Noble Kauhane asked, if this wa
the voice of the Hawaiian people
how was the Constitution oppressive
He was Hawaiian and if there wa
anything oppressive in the Constitu
ton he would feel it. Previous t,
1886 the people would ask for none,
to make roads, but they would onl,
get items in the Appropriation Bill
the money would be spent for some
thing else. Things continued in tina
way, going on from bad to worse
with an excess of power in the hand
of the King and his Ministers, unit
the country was getting into foreig
complications and its credit was fas
disappearing. 1t was time some
thing should have been done, or,
that state had continued, by TIL
time for the Legislature of 1883 t
assemble there would have been N
more Hawaiian Kingdom. While h
did not approve of the means adopt
ed he was bound to acknowledg
that great good had come from til
: movement. A good deal was sal
about the dear old Constitution, bu
, tho new one increased the privilege
of native Ilawaiians. They wer
now given a share in the election q
Mobiles, and this privilege had GO.
them nothing, This provision of III
, Constitution was somelhig TO stint
L L..