St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-27
MAKING A "REpURIIC.n


in the great field game of the two politi-
cal parties in this country, has had no
further attention than corner in the
| news column occasionally, wherein ac-
counts were given OF the progress OF the
scheme of the missionaries and specn-
latorS to secure for themselves, their
heirs anu assigns. the sole dominion
over the islands and the people native
to them.
We have been thus advised that, re-
ljnquishing all hopes of annexation, at
least during this administration, the
''provisionals" have gone on in the
building up Of republic, assuring to
the benlghted people of that sea-girt
land the ineffable blessings of free
and enlightened government of the
people, by the people and for the peo-
pie. Such as that which makes this the
home of the free and the land of the
brave and the best government the sun
ever shone upon, and much more to the
same effect.
Merely as an interesting study in the
problem of republic building, the
| methods adopted by our late fellow
citizens, or better, fellows resident in
Hawaii for the most of them retain
their citizenship in this country-and
especially as showing how the men and
the children of the men who went there
to teach the Semi-barbarOuS natives the
sweet doctrine of the brotherhood of
man and the fatherhood OF God which
makes all men Of all races and colorS
and conditions brothers and equals, re-
gard their darkeI-skinhed brothers
when the question ceases to be one of
ethics and orthodoxy and becomes 4
practical one of governing. the progress
of their plan is worthy of little space
for comment.
We are now advised that the dele
| gates elected on the Sd instant will meet
OH the 30th to frame constitution for
what will be called the Repu bile of Ha.
wall. Former brief statements have
| told us how these delegates were chosen.
They were elected by the people. of
course. But there were some pruden-
tial limitations Of the franchise. If all
| the people were permitted to vote. there
was danger that the missionaries and
their sons would be outvoted by their
darker-hued men and brothers, who,
with remarkable perverseness, re-
fused to regard with favor the unselfish
efforts of these truly good men to re-
deem them from their political and
moral degradation. So it was required
that all persons offering to register as
voters should first take all oath OF
allegiance to the provisional govern
/ ment. .
I:sSFhis had the effect of discouragiDg
the natives from taking any part in the
| construction OF this new republic, an
effect doubtless anticipated by the truly
| good men at the head of the movement,
and the registration closed with barely
| 1.600 voters qualified to vote for dele
| gates. AS there are some ten or twelve
thousand native males of voting age in
the islands to be governed, but who will
have no voice In tine governing, it
would seem to any one possessed of the
| old-fashioned notions of republics as if
this were somewhat radical departure
from the established methods and mod
| els.
With that true paternal instinct which
led these worthy men first to go there
| to convert the natives to the re-
! ligion of Christ, and then to convert
| them from a belief in an effete mon
archy TO the worship of government
| whose keystone is the equality of all
men, they have prepared for the dele
| gates the constitution they are to adopt.
| There are some provisions i'll this ready
| made constitution which strike citizens
| of our republic as strange. but which,
! doubtless, are due TO the eXlgencies of
! the situation. Senators, for instances,
may be residents merely ofsthe islands;
| but the assemblyman must be citizen
| of Hawaii. or of some country having
| treaty relations with Hawaii. Senators
| must have $1,000 worth of property and
all income OF $1,200 a year; but the
| assemblymen need only to know how to
! read and write English. or. by way of
| concession to the natives. Hawaiian. 1t
might be inferred that the senators are
exempt from this qualification. but per-
| haps that would be strainlng matters
| somewhat. After this we are prepared
| for the statement that it is the intention,
when this ready-made constitution is
| adopted, TO reappoint President Dole
| for term of two or six years, after
| which presidents will be elected. the
republic" by that time having become
| firmly seated. And this explanation of
how they make republic out there
| prepares US, also, for the closing state
nient that 1t is expected that when this
republic" is declared the natives will
rise up and declare that they will have
none of it; and. should they do SO, we
are free to admit that they will slow
much more of the spirit which makes
| republics possible than does this re-
markable instrument called a constitu-
ton, builded in this extraordinary and
Al n ma