The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-11-24

This prediction Is based on two facts:
first, that there Is no occasion or pre-
tencc Of excuse for any but regular
and legal procedure, and, secondly,
that irregular procedures are unuer
the close surveillance of at least two
Of the great powers.
It is likely then that Hawaii will
continue to enjoy, in some form or
other, u constitutional, representative
government
Among the best friends of the Ha-
waiisn race there are these who think
that legislature composed of two
separate houses, the lower house
having sole charge Of the national
! purse-strings, would be rather an in
jury than gain.
Ii is true that deadlock in legisla-
ton may at any time arise with two
houses. But hasty, ill-advised legis-
lation is worse than none at all. 1t is
about the only radical change re-
quired in order to give symmetry 10
the Hawaiian constitution.
Every country which is worthy OF
good government will sooner or later
obtain il. Nations, like individuals,
have their peculiar difficulties to over
come, ever increasing with the fresh
complications of social life.
England has her colonial and In
dian questions to work out She is
happily done with civil service and
free trade discussions, but home rule
is ever with her.
Tariff, currency, foreign, immigra-
ton, trusts, caucus, civil service and
the negro furnish the American prob
lens of the day. The problem of
Hawaii is to find its equation of the
races. These diverse, social elements,
which are here to stay, are not as
homogeneous as they appear.
The Chinese and japanese are
watching with observant eyes Ha-
waits great object-lesson of Constitu-
tional Government. They are docile
people; all their traditions are in
favor of obeying the established laws.
The Portuguese are assimilating with
| Hawaiian institutions, and encour-
| aged as they are by the precepts Of
| the Catholic Church, win always be
! found On the side of law and order.
! Even those who shout the lcudest
] against sugar barons, admit that they
| are q necessary evil, and that q rice,
coffee, banana and castor oil nobility
will not fully take their places.
| Hawaii with its liberal constitu-
tional government ought to have be-
fore il as fine political destiny as the
United States, England or Switzer-
land. Sr-
| Whatever may be the diversity of
opinion concerning this or that meas
ure, the strength alike OF the Ha-
waiian and foreign vote, Is on the
side of good government.
The stages then by which the
Hawaiian Government has reached
its present position are as follows:
The absolute power of the monarch
was divided between himself and the
law-making and law-deciding bodies,
the latter holding check on the
former, and the functions of each
department were limited.
The first constitution declared GER
tain rights and liberties which the
second and third constitutions devel-
oped.
The election of Kalakaua was new
departure. The dynasty founded by
Kamehameha /. and closed with
LunalilO was based on the native
strength of its founder and his sue
cessors They issued constitutions to
suit themselves; the present regime
derives its legitimacy and sole power
from written constitutions. The cleo
ton OF a sovereign has q parallel
in the elective kings under the Saxon
commonwealth. the Mobiles having
some semblance to the Saxon Witane-
Gemot assembly of wise men.
The fourth Constitution developed
parliamentary government, limited
the power of the sovereign to infiu-
ence legislation, increased the cleo
tive franchise, and by making mobiles
elective, and ministers subject to the
Legislature, fully established the
principles of representative Consti,
tutional government "to the end !"
Tin the language OF the Bill of Rights
of the Commonwealth of Massachu-
setts), "that it may be government
of laws, and not of men,