Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19

certain to resume power at an early date
TO oppose or offend her is not to be though,
| or Thus the majority Of the natives are
practically under compulsion, and dare not
yield allegiance to the present government.
1 have spoken above of a proposed ex-
tension of the Oahu railroad. This is an
enterprise of much Importance, which has
been waiting for several years for our po-
| litical affairs to get settled. Eighteen miles
OF the road were built four years ago, and
are in successful and profitable operation.
This part OF the road runs around the lochs
Of Pearl harbor. often skirting the shore.
1t ends at the large sugar mill of the Eva
plantation. 1t is proposed To go on fifteen
miles further to Waianae plantation, follow
Ing the level shore line. Thence to extend
on eighteen miles farther to Wsialua plan
tation and twelve miles more to Kahuku
mill. This makes forty-ive miles of ex-
tension planned for About one million dol
lars in bonds for the purpose are waiting
to be issued. and the coin for them is
ready whenever Hawaiian affairs get set
tied into any stable form. The money
would have been handed over more than
two years ago but for the uneasiness Gre
ated by the already erratic course of the
queen.
Royalty Opposes Progress.
Other important enterprises have for
many years been held In allegiance by royal
tampering with public affairs under Kala-
kaua, as well as later by his sister. The
most important of these is a projected
railway Of sixty miles length, connecting
the extensive sugar districts of HamaiSua
and Hilo Hawaii with the excellent
! seaport Of Hilo. There are now about
dozen plantations in the two districts,
ali or them highly productive. They are
situated On the coast, but the access from
the sea Is difficult and in rough wea ther
lmpracticabIe. Inc plantations and mills
are all situated on nigh uplands sioping
toward the sea and terminating in lofty
hundred
rect IN height, overhanging the sea. Here
ana there are depress!ons IN the blur, from
winch freight and passengers are lowered
or raised by derricks and tackles TO boa Is
lying in the open sea below Boats are
often dashed on the rocks, and, but for the
marvellous swimming powers of the native
Doatmen, many lives would be lost. In
January, 1888, the elder daughter of Minis
ter Stevens lost her life at such a place
The boat capsized after she had been low
cred into II, and. she was dashed against
the rocks.
Often for several weeks together no
freight can be shipped from these planta-
tons Hundreds OF tons of sugar accumu-
late in their warehouses, until grin ding
mas to be suspended for lack OF space to
store the product. This is a serious in
convenience and drawback, and has greatly
hindered the development of these fertile
districts, whose production Of sugar might
be trebled. The proposed railway would re-
IleVe the difhculty by placing the entire
region In immediate connection with Hilo
harbor, which is safe and quiet at all sea-
sons. and where good wharfage can be
provided, with railway running alongside
the ship. The railway route presents no
serious difficulties. although 1t crosses some
scores OF large and small ravines, calling
for much heavy grading and bridging. The
late s. @. Wilder had the route laid out,
and In 1887 was in London with negotia-
tons completed for the sale of bonds, and
the required capital was on the point of
being handed over. when Kaiakaua's mis-
deeds eliminated in the revolution of that
year, and Wilder's transactions were ar
rested by the alarm which that affair ere
ated.
The Convention.
In politics the chief solicitude centers
around the work of the coming convention
to form constitution. 1t will probably
meet about the last of May. Although the
results on the other islands Of the election
held on the second are yet to be heard
from the result is known, only one set
OF candidates was placed in the field. and
those are conservative men. fully in SYM
pathy with the objects of the revolution and
with the provisional government. and most
of them men Of considerable public eXpe-
rience and approved records. 1t is quite
certain that a majority OF the delegates
will be in general accord with The views of
the political leaders in the government on
all the most important issues. The Ques-
ion Is likely to arise is that OF granting
the right of suffrage to Asiatics on any
conditions. There would probably be no
difficulty with this subject. but for the de-
mand made by the japanese government
that their subjects shall have the same ad-
vantages in this respect as the subjects of
all other nations. 1t is a stipulation OF Ha-
walls treaty with Japan that her subjects
shall enjoy the same privileges in Hawaii
as the subjects of the most favored nations
Unless we interpret that clause as insurlng
Japanese immigrants the same rights of
suffrage as European or American immi-
grants, Japan threatens to forbid any more
laborers to come here fromsthat country
The urgency of the japanese government
on this subject is owing to the violent popu-
lar clamor expressed through their parlia-
all respects with Europeans. They are like
ly. therefore to insist upcz. this point, and
for US to disregard the claim means that
our planters will get no more labor from
Japan. Any constitutional provisions which
shall affect the labor supplies of the plant
ers will touch many members of the conven-
ton In tender point. On the other hand
public sentiment here runs strongly against
any admission whatever of Asatics to suf-
frage. There will have to be some adjust
ments and compromises of opinions how
and In what direction remains to be seen
The election in Honolulu and this island
OF Oahu, held yesterday. resulted in the
choice Of three candidates on the regular
American Union ticket and Of three run
ming Independently. A. G. NJ Robertson
led the poll There had been much SQUAD
bling over his nomination, and the feeling
raised led his supporters to plump their
votes for him. He is the city police magis-
trate. The next highest We're two Portu-
guese independents, Fernandez and Viyas
About five hundred Portuguese voters
seem to have pumped their votes for those
two. Charles Carter stood fourth He
leads on the regular ticket. He was one of
the five commissioners sent last year to
washington. The only native nominee
Prince" Albert Kunuiakea was also elect
ed. On the whole the delegation to the con-
vention from this island will be respectable
though not averaging as high IN weight of
character those from the other islands
where the nominations were made in con-
vention. On Oahu nominations were made
in the primaries and tended to he of a class
of men inferior to what a convention OF
delegates would have been likely 10 name
The Suffrage Question.
The most important question to be set
tied In making the constitution is one upon
which majority Will probably be in SUBJ
stantial agreement. 1t relates to the limi-
tations of suffrage for electing members
Of the senate. The last constitution pre-
scribed a property qualification for voters
for mobiles Of 5000 income. This may, per-
haps, be somewhat increased. All support
ers of the revolution, who constitute
large majority of the whites, are fully
agreed and determined to have a constitu-
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