The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-02-02
THE ASiAfiC QUESTION.
EDITOR BHL1ErtN.-

A communication from Anti-AS
tic in Fridays Holomua deals with
the recent decisions of the Supreme
Court in the Kekaua and naturalized
Chinese cases and, in closing, voices
the sentiment of large number of
voters as follows:
at is the feeling of uncertainty of
everything under our present consti.
tuition that has given rise to a strong
demand for reorganization of the
whole government. The Liberal
party seeks to take advantage of this
feeling to attain its own ends. 1t
does seem that the Supreme Court is
largely responsible for it.
Something must be done about the
Asiatic question in the near future.
1t is regrettable that the court is not
more polite. Chinese voting cannot
be popular. The people will not
stop short of class legislation against
Asiatics. If the Court will not en-
force such laws, other means must
be found"
L would rather have read the last
clause, "If the Court will not enforce
such laws, it is high time that steps
were taken to secure bench of JUS
tices that will do So.
L am thoroughly in favor of an
amendment to the Constitution max
ing definite term for which Supreme
Court Judges are to be appointed,
say six years and terms expiring in
rotation as is the case with Mobiles.
The Queen to appoint such Justices
with the approval of the Legislature.
There are many, however, who argue
that such methods are too slow to
accomplish the purpose intended and
that we will be compile ely swamped
by the Asiatic horde that is at pre-.
sent chained by labor contracts ere
relief could come by way of any
amendments to the Constitution of
1887, and hence the hue and cry in
certain quarters for a new Constltu-
ton outright. In view of the mis-
givings tLat many entertain as re-
CARDS the attitude of the Supreme
Court relative to the proposed Art.
Gle 93 of our present Constitution
it is encouraging to see the Bull
LETIN of last Saturday champion the
peoples cause by advocating the
passage of this amendment. 1t is
words wasted to reiterate the fact
that the people of this country have
been very patiently waiting for
proper recognition of their rights;
also that their demands have always
been made in a conciliatory spirit
and with due regard to the rights of
those aliens already in business.
There is limit to even such patience
and forbearance as has been shown
up to the present time, and the con-
viction is gaining ground that the
time has come when the Government
must commit itself TO one or two pol
icies. Either accede to the popular
demand and protect general business
the trades and small industries
from the encroachments of Asiatics
and encourage planters and Others to
try cooperative planting with civil
lied methods and men; or, ignoring
the rights of the community, build
up pagan outpost on the ashes of
our western civilization for the sake
of the one, all consuming industry
sugar.
Article 3 of the Constitution saws:
"The government is conducted for
the common good, and not for the
profit, honor, or private interest of
any one man, family, or class of
men,"
The demand of the hour is for
under the lava condition
that has not yet been attained under
the present Constitution, although il
will soon be five years in operation.
The interpret atons of the Constitu-
ton which the Supreme Court has
given us are unique to say the least.
BY what manner of deduction can
any man of ordinary judgment arrive
at a conclusion such as was reached
in the Kekaula case?
Article 70 of the Constitution def
nitely provides for the only way in
" hich criminal can have his civil
rights restored. Article 70 reads,
"All laws now in force i'm this King
dom, shall continue and remain in
full effect-such parts only excepted
as are repugnant to this Constitu-
tion." The old Constitution created
similar disabilities and provided
similar course for the restoration of
civil rights. Consequently the law
was virtually continued and remains
in effect to-day as much so against
criminals prior to 1887 as if there had
been no change of Constitution. This
of course is only the view of a man
who reads English as it is writ and is
open to criticism from the profession
because of the absence of Latin
adornments. My only object has
been to draw a smile. The Asiatic
problem admits of the same adapta-
lion of the argument. The Supreme
Court of this Kingdom has duty to
perform and the duty cannot be evad-
ed much longer.
On the one hand are arrayed the
iborigines of the soil and the foreign
element of American or Enroneou