The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-26

In discussing what has been desig-
mated "the Hawaiian question:" the
ludiCrous inCongruity Of agltatng that
Japanese bondsmen, the greater portion
of whom are only temporary residents
in that country and who have no in
tention of naturalizing themselves there,
should be allowed to exercise the suf-
frage in that kingdom has not failed to
strike many persons in addition to the
Rev w. B. Oeson, and is intensfie d
by the fact of the Hawaiian franchise
being clamored for by persons who
have not word to urge against these
very men, Of whose rights they pretend
to be solicitous, being excluded from
the enjoyment of an equal privilege on
their own soil and under their own In
situations
In support of this new contention,
we have the Mail coming forward with
sophstical sort of an article on the
subject, and its arguments are mainly
based on what it alleges to be fright"
granted by treaty, and its complaint is
that upon a revision of the Constitu.
ton, made at subsequent date, inter
ala, that the right to vote was limited
to persons who know how to "read and
write either the Hawaiian, English or
some European language" The neces-
sary effect of this stipulation is, that
those aliens who are for the most part
Chinese and japanese, who cannot
comply with the conditions quoted, are
unqualified for, and are prevented the
enjoyment of the privilege secured to
those who are.
The Hawaiian treaty, is to all intents
and purposes commercial one, dealing
mainly with the right to trade, and is
altogether silent with respect to the
exercise of political privileges which
are in it no wise provided for and were
evidently quite uncontemplated; for it
surely never could have been expected
on either side that laborers, who have
temporarily parted with their individual
freedom during the time of their bond
age to sugar planters, should claim
what is now pretended on their behalf.
When the Hawaiian legislature revised
the constitution in 1857, and wisely
restricted the suffrage to Hawaiians,
Americans and Europeans who could
read, write and speak, it surely would
have been quite too much to ex
pect that the japanese and Chinese
should have been exempted from the
test of possessing those qualifications;
such concession would have frustrated
one Of the legislatures Intentions; in
point of fact, so far as We know, no
such question as that which at present
prevails, was ever raised, but the lap
anese now pretend that the right to
vote comes within the scope Of their
agreement with Hawaii, and are now
clamouring for their pound of flesh.
Subject to the qualifications embedded
in the constitution, universal suffrage
prevails in Hawaii, and the Mail
whilst assisting to set up claim thai
will never be admitted, calmly say;
that Japan, happily for herself, has
not yet fallen to universal suffrage" yet
in the face of this admission, it is urg
ing that the very ignorant class o
aliens, who have no abiding interest il
their present land of bondage, SHOULD
assist In helping the fall of Hawaii t
that low level, which "Japan, happily
for herself" has not yet reached, or II
other words, it alleges that it would b,
bad for Japan were these self sam
laborers allowed to vote in their owl
country, but it appears not to be NOR