The morning call., 1894-03-16
FROM THE ISLANDS.
Rumor of Royalist Move to
Restore the Queen.
A Constitutional Convention Is to Be
Called-The Question of Planta-
tiOn Labor-AII Quiet.

| at10at Sunday night to the effect that mar
| tial law IVES to be declared on Monday
| but as yet nothing has come of it. The
Marshal was seen and denied the rumor
but nevertheless il is believed that there il
some truth in it. and that the Government
had such an intention. 1t is known thai
some fears were felt by the Government
that. If news of a nature unfavorable tC
the ex-Queen's cause should arrive, the
royalists would make last desperate at
tempt TO restore the Queen. For this rea-
son the plan of declaring martial law was
proposed. and the Government was ready
to take steps TO prevent trouble. A promi-
nent Government official said as much to
your correspondent this morning. and also
that II was only at the last moment that
the idea was abandoned.
The news of the report of the Senate
committee was received With great DEM
onsrrations of joy by the annexation
party. They claim that it is the precursor
of annexation, and the more sangune an
nounce that this end will be attained dur
ing Clevelsnd's administration. The news
seems TO have affected the royslsts more
seriously than any that they have yet re-
ceived. The Bulletin. the ex-Queen's
organ. says shat the result of the commit
tees investigation was obtained shy lies
and can't" and is bitterly severe upon the
action. News condemnatory of Stevens
action was confidently expected, and the
report was great DISAPPOINTMENT.
At the meeting of the councils to be held
this afternoon bill will be presented to
provide for the calling Of constitutional
convention.
The convention will consist OF eighteen
members besides the eighteen of the coun-
ellis. This will practically give the present
councils the controlling voice of the con-
vention. The elections of the delegates
will take place in May and the convention
will be called Immediately after. Tie
convention will frame constitution and
as soon as this Is adopted republic will
be proclaimed. TIE new constitution is
already in process of construction, being
drawn I'D by the Executive Council. but
its contents will be strictly guarded until
after the convention.
The councils met at O'clock this after
noon and elected d. B. Smith, the leagues
candidate, by vote of IA to 8. A com.
munication was received. signed by about
twenty Of the most prominent members OF
the annexation party, recommending his
election on the ground of preventing any
split in the party. Smith has stated that
he has Withdrawn his oatn TO the American
League and goes into the councils bound
to no secret organization. 1t was only on
these grounds that he could be elected.
The question OF plantation labor is still
most important one. and one that will
cause much trouble for the Government il
it is not satisfactorily settled. The two
factions OF the new Union party are max.
ing it cause for dispute, and the outlook
now is that serious breach will be effected
The planters claim that they cannot afford
to hire white labor at the present price OF
sugar. while the radical element in sist that
no more Asiatics be admitted. r w. Ir.
win, the Hawaiian Minister resident al
Toxic. left for Japan on the Oces mic for
the purpose of negotiating for the ship
ment of 1900 japanese.
The plantations were never before in
such straits for labor. They are nearly all
short-handed. and the contracts of several
thousand coolies will expire in very few
months. Two agents leave by to-day's
steamer for the United States to sign Por.
tuguese for plantation service. 1t is said
hat there are hundreds of them in Cali.
fornia who would be willing to come here
on contract.
The Darkentine Hilo, which went ashore
on the Hawaii coast, is still on the rocks
and will be a total wreck. Tt Is not ex.
pected that any of her cargo can be saved,
At the time the steamer left for San
Francisco ali was quiet on the islands.