The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-10-02

some OF them say before the election the /
present Constitution was a rotten one,
by the bayonet. and that If |
they were elected they would tear it all |
to pieces. Some of them would not have |
been elected if it had not been for that |
kind of talk. l like to see consistency. |
It is not right for members to talk one |
thing when outside OF the house and |
another when they are inside. This dis |
cussion has been carried on principally |
by native Hawaiians, showing they are
the ones oppressed by the Constitution.
l move the committee rise and report
progress, and ask leave to sit again to-
morrow. l have not yet got through, as
l do not propose TO let the authorities
quoted in the majority report go unchal-
lenged.
The motion to have the committee rise
was carried.
The committee rose and the chairman
reported to the House.
Noble Macfarlane moved that the COM
mittee reports with the bill be laid on
the table. He asked the indulgence OF
the House to make few remarks.
Rep Nawahi said the motion could not
the report of the committee be adopted.
motion is before the House.
3 Noble Macfarlane-I regard it as a
very serious matter to change the funda-
mental law of the land. Whatever OBJ
jections there may be to the present
constitution, we are bound to remember
that it was proclaimed by the constitu-
tional sovereign of the Kingdom, and the
people have sworn to support it. l am
fully aware that the present constitution
is faulty, and needs amending, and
should be amended. AS whole it could
be objected to on two grounds. The first
is purely sentimental, by reason Of the
way in which it was brought into exist
ence, but such grounds should fall away
when we come to consider the real inter
ests of the country. The other ground,
that it was hastily made and hastily
adopted, has more force, but will we fall
into the same error by forcing sudden
change as proposed by this convention?
The organic law of the land is of such a
nature that it should be amended only
with caution, and after mature delibera-
ton, but only under the stress of the
most urgent necessity should it be set
aside altogether. The very idea Of the
assembling of convention at this time,
with an unknown field of changes, must
affect the tranquility, the material inter
ests and the well-being of the Kingdom.
A continuance of any apprehensions on
the part OF the people cannot be otherwise
than harmful. This can be avoided by
abandoning the proposition of consti-
tutional convention at this time, and
placing before the people of the Kingdom
fairly and squarely such amendments as
this House may deem it wise to support.
There is ample, but claim not too much,
time to reflect upon and weigh deliberate
ly the amendments which are to be pro-
posed, and the advisabllity or necessity
of passing them, but we must not fall
into the same error which was committed
by the people who rushed through the
present constitution. In avoiding that,
we do our duty under our oaths as legis-
lators, and at the same time emphasize
the Objectionable, illegal and revolution
airy way in which the present constitu-
ton was brought into existence. The
policy of pushing through constitution
in the present condition of strained poll
teal feeling is calculated to keep alive
and intensity political strife and disturb
ances, which would largely prevent the
adoption of q just, fair ald statesmanlike
document in the interests of the whole
Kingdom. l am firmly convinced that
these present conditions will be modified
and softened within the next two years,
80 that q convention at a later period will
accomplish the results impossible to be
reached now / am further convinced
that few judicious amendments, legally
made and agreed upon in the present
Legislature, would hasten the return of
normal political conditions, if they did
not in fact ultimately do away with the
necessity of future constitutional CON
vention. The commercial interests of
Hawaii, as we'll as the demands of large
number of conservative voters, must
receive the consideration of the party in
power, before a stand is taken in favor
of radical and immediate change in the
fundamental law of the Kingdom. These
are both likely to be antagonized by
hasty action, where by authorized
amendments they will be protected, and
at the same time harmonized with the
policy of the party in power. With
such views as have expressed, deem
it in good conscience that one road only
is open to me, and that is to oppose a
convention at this time, and l would
urge upon those members of my party
to join with me in such action, which /
honestly believe to be in the line of
proper constitutional methods, and in
the interests of safe conservative govern
ment. will now renew my motion to
lay the reports of the committee and the
bill upon the table, and move the previous
question.
Rep. Wilcox moved the House adjourn.
The previous question was put and
carried.
Rep. Bush moved the ayes and noes
be called on the motion to lay the reports
and bill on the table. Carried.
Rep. Kapaehaole thought the motion
to lay on the table out of order.
President Walker-The motion means
the reports and bills be taken out of the
hands of the committee.
Rep. Kapaehaole thought the motion
out OF order, and asked to be excused
from voting.
Rep. Bush said the motion was irreg-
ular, and asked to be excused. The
House should accept the committees
report.
President Walker-The House declines
to accept the report. Call the roll, Mr..
Secretary.
mode was for the House to accept the re-
port of the committee.
Before voting, Rep. Kahookano
thought the motion unprecedented. 1t
was taking unfair advantage. He was
opposed to the bill, but could not vote
for the motion. Rep. Waipuilani was
also opposed to the bill, but did not like
this business.
The ayes and noes were then called on
the motion to lay the report on the table
with the following result:
Ayes-Cummins, G. Brown, Peterson,
WiIap,anr parUor M,,fo ~ M,,ylo~