Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-19

insure tho launching Of the new republic
under the control Of the present rulers
The first election is a special one to be held
about September in place of the one for
members of the legislature which under
the monarchy, would have been held last
FEBRUARY. The voters at this coming spe-
ciai election are to be only those who regis
tered Tor the election of May 2 and who
are all supporters of the provisional govern
ment. The senators then chosen will hold
ONCE Tor six years. 1t has been settled
that President Dole shall be named in the
constitution as the first president of the
republic. holding Office for six years
Quite another branch of the subject is
that OF strict provisions for the naturaliz-
ing OF aliens. who constitute fully one-half
or our population. Before stating these
provisions. 1t should be said that a broad
exception Is made in giving full suffrage
Tor representatives to a certain class OF
aliens. to wit: All those who have rendered
support and aid to the provisional govern
ment. Among many others, there were
several hundred Portuguese who were hearty
supporters. All such persons. certified to by
the minister of the interior, are to have
votes. although not raturalized and most
OF the Portuguese are quite illiterate. In
order TO vote for senators, however. they
must possess the required amount of in
come or property. Many hundreds of these
aliens had undertaken to imperil their
lives in the cause of the revolution, and
hence Ii Is impossible to exclude them from
the suffrage. although not naturalized
With this exception non-naturalized
aliens cannot vote; nor can they be natur-
allied unless Well acquainted with English,
nor unless they are citizens of countries
with which Hawaii has specific treaties re-
speeding mutual naturalization. This gov
eminent will doubtless hasten to effect the
needed treaty stipulations' with America,
England and other European states. With
China and Japan there will very proba bly,
be more delay. even II those empires would
at all consent to such treaties. 1t will
probably be some time before any subjects
OF those empires can be naturalized or vote
in Hawaii. Thus the troublesome Ques-
tons respecting admitting Asiatics to citi-
zel'ship in Hawaii are postponed somewhat
Indefinitely. 1t should be said that there is
no specific reference in the constitution to
Chinese. Japanese or any other race among
the inhabitants of Hawaii. Thus no cause
is given to Japan to complain of any in
vidlous distinction being made.
Theories VS.. Conditions.
There are In the convention a number of
the members who very reluctantly sacrifice
Anything that belongs to government by all
the people. All. however have too clearly
before them the patent facts of the inca
pacity Of large numbers Of the inha bitants
to participate usefuly in voting, so that
they surrender their theories to the actual
conditions and consent to the necessary
limitations and safeguards. A better day
no doubt will gradually advance, when py
added intelligence and by the influx of a
civilized population the restrictions now
created may Safeiy De relaxed.
The boom for woman's suffrage has been
felt mere. and the ladies of Honolulu have
been stirring up the convention upon the
subject OF granting such suffrage. or at
least Of leaving the subject open for legisla-
tive action. In Hawaii there is a numerical
preronderance of women of degraded char
acter. 1t would be difficult to apply re-
stricted suffrage to such persons. The con-
vention voted down female suffrage on the
21st by a majority of ~ to g. ~ . & , .
As compared with former legislative
bodies In this country. there Is q marked
absence of a low-toned class Of members.
both natives and foreigners. who materially
reduce the average Of ability and char
acter in those assemblies. The members of
the present body are all gentlemen of recog-
nized character and leadership. The rs
sions are conducted with decorum. A SIN
certify and earnestness. of tone prevail.
There is a total absence of those manlfes-
tations of intriguing and factious purpose
which are usually prominent In legislative
bodies. The members are evidently seek
ing with earnestness and honesty what Is
best for the country, ana are conscious
of the gravity Of the work which they are
engaged upon. There Is a very fair repre-
sentation of legal ability among them. led
by Messrs. Dole and Hatch. Hartwell and
Thurston have constantly contributed legal
advice from outside.
The British Minister'S Request.
Our royalist British friends are just now
laboring under a severe sense of insulted
honor. This miserable pretense of a gov
eminent las they would put iO has had the
fnsolence to refuse to Britons the privilege
allowed to Americans. On the Goth the
British minister. Wodehouse, observing
that the U. 9. naval forces were given the
freedom Of the town for shore drilI visited
the minister of foreign affairs and ask ed
the same privilege for the men OF H. b. NJ
8. Champion. He was asked to put his re-
quest In writing. and did so. On the after
noon Of the I'D MIR. Hatch replied. declining
Mr.. Warehouses; request. The correspond
ence has not been made public. aad the
reasons assigned for the refusal are not
precisely known. The situation. however
may be given as follows: Minister Wode-
house Is a pronounced and conspicuous
partisan of the deposed queen. He Is the
center of the British royalist party. which
Is a strong and active one. At the recent
opening of the convention. Mr.. wodehouse
refused to attend unlike the American and
Japanese officials. He alleged a desire to be
neutral. thus recognizing the queen as a
claimant of equal consequence with the
provisional government. In many ways he
manifests his support of the queen The
officers of the Champion are with their
minister in this. and the men of the ship
are violent In their royalist partisanshp.
Under these circumstances 1t would be
simply dangerous to permit these ardent
sympathizers with our public enemy to con-
duct public drill In our squares and streets
There would be the strongest Indictment for
tnat large portion OF the native pOpuiace
who adhere to the queen to gather around
this organized body of British sympathizers.
In spirit Of disorder. hoping for some in
terposition from them, and openly applaud
ing them and stirring up excitement. Ordi-
nary prudence dictated such a refusal as
was given.
Mr. Wodehouse 10 himself Q fine old En-
glishman. His wife Is a strong ma tured
rather demonstrative lady. In the strife of
the last legislature she frequently attended
and once got up In chair and applauded
on an occasion when the queens partisans
carried point. Their Oldest son is mar
ried to half sister of the queens niece and
heir, Kauilani. an older daughter Of Mr.
Cleghorn by a former concubine. This
younger Mrs. Wodchouse Is, however re-
ceived into good society In consideration
of her connection with royalty. A restora-
tion OF the monarchy. especially In the
person Of Kaiulani would thus make a
material difference with Minister Wode-
house. He occupies a cottage on the Ha-
waiian Hotel grounds. which Is In the i'm
mediate vicinity of Washington Place, the
queens residence and Mr.. Wodchouse Is
In daily intercourse with her ex--lajesty,
and Is a common medium for Introducing
English visitors from the Sydney steamers
often titled persons, who delight to show
their great regard for our fsI!An royalty.
Mr.. Wodehouse is frequently carrying
complaints to the government ard making
vexatious or troublesome demands OF them,
Altogether his attitude has been exceed