The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-06-01
AN ELOQUENT SPEECH MADE BY PRESIDENT DOLE.
All the Diplomatic Corps Except
Wodehouse and Portuguese Consul-The
ton Will Again at Today

menJ OI mlAeu races, WITHOUT a COM
mon origin, religion or purpose.
/ believe, however, that we may
achieve success in our undertaking if
there is secured to all coming under
such a fundamental rule system Of
impartial justice ard wise administra-
tiOn, and there be established in the
minds of those who may be, from the
eXigencies of the situation, excluded
from participation in the govern
ment, a sentiment of confidence in
the integrity of the rulers.
The final test of the work which we
are compelled to take up by the revolt
of the deposed Queen against the
organic law, whence came her sole
authority, will be measured in the
minds of those who are watching il, by
our success in holding power without
abusing it and in administering gov
ernment for the benefit of the many
by the authority of those whose ex-
eTcise of political power is based upon
capacity to discharge public duty.
Although the establishment of a
fundamental law, which shall, as far
as possible, provide for the safe and
permanent administration of affairs
upon the principles Of republican
form of government, will be the para
mount object of your deliberations, the
original purpose of the Provisional
Government to negotiate a treaty of
political union with the great and
friendly nation that lies nearest to us,
must, [ respectfully submit, be as
fully recognized by you as a vital
policy OF the new republic as il has
been of the Provisional Government.
L would urge upon your attention
the accepted view that the franchise
is duty or function of citizenship
conferred by the State, rather than a
right. And it is a duty which NAV
only be performed with advantage to
the State by those who are mentally
qualified for its responsible decisions,
as none but the able bodied citizen
may serve his country to advantage
on the battlefield. 1t is only as a
means OF approximately arriving at a
reasonable standard of mental qualifi-
cations that the requirement of prop
erty qualifications is legitimate. Such
a method, though imperfect and in
some cases harsh to the individual, is
yet in the main an effective ally to the
more direct effort to reach the same
result through educational qualifica-
tions, which in practice is more diff
cult of application.
The question whether the franchise
should be limited to citizens of the
republic will demand your serious
consideration, in view of the accepted
practice of other civilized nations,
and the danger of allowing those not
under the obligations of citizenship
and owing fealty to possible hostile
governments, to exercise this impor-
tant function.
The powers which the constitution
should confer upon the President is a
subject which calls for careful study
on your part, in order that the office
may not be allowed to become a
menace to civil liberty from having
too much authority on the one hand,
and that it may not degenerate into a
useless feature from having too little
on the other.
The question, also, whether the
President should be eligible for elec-
tion TO the presidential term succeed
ing his own incumbency will require
examination, in view of the tempta-
ton to the prostitution of the author
ity and official patronage belonging
to the office, which such eligibility
creates.
The unsatisfactory experience of the
country with a legislature composed
of one house makes it imperative for
you TO investigate the comparative
advantages and disadvantages of such
a legislature and OF one made un of
two houses.
Measures and conditions for the
protection of the legislature from
corrupt influences, originating either in
the Zeal of political parties or the in
terests of private enterprises, are i'm
portant results to be sought in your
deliberations.
The Executive Council has given
much time and study to the various
problems raised by the project of re-
the Government on
basis. In this work we
have been favored with the valuable
OF number of gentlemen
who Lave kindly consented to meet
with US, and who have free
ly contributed their time and
thought to this object. While there
has naturally been some difference of
opinion regarding the matters under
the conclusions finally
arrived at have been formulated into
q text which may aid the Convention
in its work and which is at its dis
posal. Fully recognizing the author
ity of the Convention under the Act
creating it to form a constitution, /
have deemed it desirable to adopt this
method OF assisting it.
In the exercise of your duty of
laying the foundations of our new
civil system, L pray that you will
look far away from the passions and
that may have grown
out of late political events, and build
for the future and for the welfare and
just protection of the whole com
regardless of present differ
ences.
While 1 recognize the aid which
spirit of compromise in une~sential
issues brings TO work of this kind,
| urge you 10 make no concession of
principle to dread of what others
may say. The transcendant duty is