The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-11-07
THE LEGISLATURE.
122ND DAY.
THURSDAY, Nov.
AFTERNOON SESSION.

The House resumed at $40, Sec.
3 of the Constitutional Amendment
Bill pending.
Rep. Cummings moved an amend
ment to make the income qualifica-
ton S400 year.
Noble Widemann said there was
something in the objection that any
body who had $500 a year could
vote without being a subject. Those
who put that in the Constitution
should have leather medal. But
the right had been accorded, and,
although he believed that subject
should be in the Constitution, the
proposed change would disfranchise
many people who were as good as
any in the country, and he confess
ed to having a feeling of doubt as
to the proposed amendment.
Noble j. Nj. Horner held that
some things might pinch some peo-
pie, but if they were necessary those
affected must grin and bear it. Ii
those who had the right to amend
the Constitution, that is, the whole
people-made this amendment it
would have to be accepted. His
opinion was that anybody who want
ed the privilege of voting should be
willing to accept the responsibility
of subject. The proposal to re-
duce the property qualification was
designed to take away certain of the
peoples rights. One who voted un-
der the $4,000 qualification and con-
sented to a $1,000 qualification sur
rendered part of his rights, by con-
ferring his right 10 vote on larger
number than held it before and thus
puts so many more votes against his
own. Still, as the committee had
recommended the change, he, speak
ing on behalf of voters under the
$4,000 property qualification, was
willing to surrender $1,000 of the
| qualification. They had as much
right to disfranchise others by max
ing an educational franchise as by
reducing this property qualification.
One of these days he would be
ready to vote for doing away with
all qualifications except the ability
to read and wnte-just as soon as
the country was ready for making
such an electoral test.
Noble Widemann exhorted men,
bers if possible to give unani-
nous vote in favor of this amend
ment, as it was the most important
one in the list. 1t was no use to
pass it by majority of one, as they
would want a two-thlrds vote to put
it in effect next session.
Noble Mccarthy was pledged to
platform in the election, which
upheld liberal modification of the
property franchise. He believed
that the proposed reduction to $500
income would make sufficient dis
tinctlon between the franchise for
MOBILES and that for Representatives.
While he believed that the franchise
should only be accorded to subjects,
yet the right having been given to
others by the present CONSTITUTION
he thought they should not be depriv-
ed of it. Therefore he would favor
an amendment to permit such as had
exercised the privilege to retain it.
The hon. Noble from Hamakua. in
saying his right was being taken
away, forgot that he only held that
right for the past three years. What
about the native deprived of rights
that he held from the first Consttu.
ton up till 1887?
Noble Cornwell said the native:
did not have such rights.
Noble Mccarthy answered that
while the remark was true, neither
did the foreigner have any such
rights. He would like to see thu
day arrive when they would hav,
nothing but an intellectual fran
chise, but in the meantime though
the reduction of the income fran
chise to $500 would be just ant
satisfactory.
Rep. Paehaole held that the re
quirement of citizenship was reason
able. The property and income
qualifications were very CAREFUL,
considered by the committee, which
included Noble Baldwin, a man O
property and Noble Kanoa, nativ,
Hawaiian, and he considered thei
deliverance fair one as in the bill
They should drop talk of what thi
party or that party held, as the,
were there not to advance any part,
but the public welfare.
Rep. Kauhi thought Noble McCar
thy was right IN holding that thos
who had voted under the presen
Constitution should retain the fran
chise. He agreed with the com
mittee's recommendation on the pro
perty qualification, but favored tn
amendment proposed by Rep. Bus
to make the income qualification
$500.
Noble Macfarlane was in accorC
with Noble Widemann in the desir
TO have the amendment as linalll
shaped pass with a sufficiently large
majority To ensure its passage a
next session. With regard TO TIN
first change proposed in the Article
he was not prepared TO endorse II
IL the authors of the present Con
stitution saw that they made mis-
take, by giving the franchise TO resi-
dents without their being natural