The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-06-07
TO-DAY'S CONVENTION.
PRESIDENTS TENURE on OFFICE
DiSCt sSED.
various Amendments Onered aud Ac-
c"pted- Reference of Knotty CUES
lions to Committees, etc.

'''hH w eNfs
The question Of the Presidents ten.
IRE OF Office came up again.
Minister W. o, Smith remembered
that 1898, 1900 and 1902 were suggested.
but 1900, or six years, was better in
many ways.
Minister Damon thought the people
were being educated to popular rights
and he favored keeping the Government
and people in touch. He favored
short term.
Delegate Ables thought the people
should be consulted even in the present
matter.
Delegate Vivas doubted the authority
and question ed the justice of the con.
vention electing president to serve the
people for SO long a time. He hoped
they would make 1t 1898 and no longer
Delegate losepa was in favor of six
years. We see the evil of a four years
term in the United States. If they had
six years term in the United States,
we would not be here now, sweating
our lives out Tor annexation. He want
ed to see President Dole in the Office for
life.
Robertson's motion for 1909 was car
ried. The article then passed as
amended
Article "a, Section /. Election of Presi-
dent, was read.
Baldwin moved that 1902 be inserted
in place of 1900 in line 3.
Section then passed.
Section ,, was read and passed.
On motion of Minister Smith the
words cor Minister who is acting" were
inserted after "expired" in line 81, and
the word "tbe" before President" in
line %, was changed to cor acting" and
"his successor" to "the new President
On the reading OF Section 4 the ques-
ton OF President succeeding himself
came up for debate.
Delegate Hatch offered an amendment
changing the phraseology OF the section.
Delegate Nivas moved to strike out the
section.
Delegate Damon said that for years
the people and Government of this
country had been drawing nearer and
nearer together. 1t would seem like q
cancellation Of privileges to put off the
election to 1902. Besides, it was neces-
sary to clean out all offices every six
years. Ii not so, the country would
soon have a set OF men in Office who
could not be ousted.
President Dole spoke at length of the
evils to accrue from system wherein a
President could succeed himself. This
provision had proven the curse of the
small states of South America, and in
the United States the evils of the system
were made apparent at every Presi-
dental election. The President of that
country, in his use OF Federal patronage,
had an irresistible temptation ever before
him and At most powerful agent to work
his own ends. The case would be much
the same here. The temptation to use
these agencies for self ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
NOulIl NC SitdtOi bLittil a NNNi IA
the high office OF President of the Re.
public, could resist; and the tremendous
influence carried might result in retain
ing a wholly unfit man in office. He
would remove the iniquitous temptation
at the start.
Delegate Hatchs amendment wa
adopted
Article %, Power OF Appointment, wa
read.
Here followed considerable discussion
as to the retention of the office of Audi
tor-General 1t was decided, however
that the subject was not in the PROVING
of the Convention and the matter wa
dropped.
On motion of Mr.. Hatch the followin
appendix to the section was adopted
"And until the end of the first sessio
of the Senate, the appointees of tn
President shall act"
The section then passed as amended
Section 2 and 3, Article 20, 81, %, 2
3d. 81 and 80 were read, and after sligl
amendments, passed.
At 4 o'clock the committee reporte
progress and the Convention adjourne
to $3.50 Thursday.