Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-02
ROYAlISTS' CLAIMS
The Proposed Limitations of the
Right of Exercising Suffrage.
THE CONVENTIONS PROBABLE ACTION
The Political Status of the Natives
Past and Present.


HONOLULU. May IA, 1894.
leading problem before the coming con-
stitutional convention relates to the share
to be assigned to the native population of
these Islands in legislative power The gov
eminent is being clan orously denounced In
the royalist papers as intending great in
justice to them in the distribution of suf-
frage. Excluding Asiatics and illiterate
Portuguese. the large majority of those
who have hitherto voted have been native
Hawaians 1t is claimed with energy by
the royalist press that this majority should
rule the country. Incapacity must not be
considered. Monarchical preposessions are
not to stand in the way. The fact that to
give the natives a controlling vote would
surrender all the results of the revolution
must not stand In the way. The revolution
was made for the purpose Of union with
America. Therefore American principles
must govern-that is. every citizen must
have full vote-else America cannot ap-
prove and annexation will be impossible
So the royalists scornfully denounce the
government as intending to organize a
republic on anti-republican principles and
taunt them with being unable to make a
republic resting on popular suffrage, and 50
having any fitness to enter the federation of
the United States.
The government and their supporters be-
lieve on their part that 1t is entirely prac-
ticable to construct truly republican gov
eminent which does not confer equal pow
ers upon every voter every citizen Ger
tain limitations of suffrage are undoubtedly
contemplated In the new constitution now
to be made. which will secure the chief DOW
er In the government of the country TO
those classes VINO have sufficient character
and capacity to exercise Ii benehcially and
which will materially limit the influence of
the ignorant, shiftless and incapable classes.
to which majority of the native Hawaiians
belong. Where such an undesirable and I'M
safe majority exists the democratic ideal
of universal and unlimited suffrage cam
not be attained. Provisions for safe and
capable government must be secured even
al the sacrihce OF democratic ideals The
case OF the southern states in dealing with
their negro vote hardly needs to be ad-
verted TO.
1t is claimed, however, and with great in
sistence, that these islands belong to the
natives, and they must not be dispossessed
OF the right to govern their own country
Hawaii for the Hawai,ans" was the cry
raised by the renegade Mormon. Gibson. by
which he worked himself into power The
demagogues all preach to the poor KanaKas
that Hawaii is their country, and that they
have the exclusive right TO rule it, The for
eigners are interlopers, and have no right
to voice in the government of the coun-
try. This revolution. like that of 1887, is a
piece of foreigners usurpation. 1t is an I'M
just and wicked grasping at the power
which rightfully belongs to the aboriginal
people of the land.
Hawaii the Execution
1t is particularly worthy Of note. right
here. that the Hawaiian monarchy has pre-
scented the one solitary instance in history
where, in the presence OF a strong white
colony, the sovereignty continued to be ex
ercised by an aboriginal race This case of
the Hawaiians has been wholly exceptional
Everywhere else on the globe, and ALWAYS
wherever the stronger race have begun to
encamp on new territory, their earliest
step has been to subdue the weak dark race
ana take away their power. Long since
every group of islands in the Pacific ocean
that was worth occupying, except the Ha-
walan, has been taken without scruple ana
ruled by some European power This course
was natural and inevitable. 1t has been
usually much for the advantage of the
weak and ill-managing natives The recent
case OF the Gilbert Islands 1900 miles west
OF honolulu. is in point Those tribes hay We
Tor thirty years past been gaining in order
ana civilization under missionary teaching
out We're much in a state of anarchy fpbt
ing causeiessly among themselves. They
were also subject to impositions from nm
prlnclpled traders, and to decima tion from
plackbirding'' vessels recruiting Iaborers
ior plantations. Two years ago England
TOOK possession of that group and now gives
them good and firm government. with nesce
and security N'' pe"Ne
Inc Hawaiians were in MANY resnects
superior to the other savage tribes OF the
racine groups. Soon after their discovery
by Cook, these islands became for tho f-ct
time, consolidated under one king Kane
hameha, who owed his success partly to his
own remarkable character and srpelv
also to his possession of the guns and
powder and ships Of the white man He
established peace and a rude but substan
tal justice, and made the country safe for
the residence of white men, with whom
he was at much pains to be on good terms
He strongly impressed his policy on his
successors, who very gladly entertained
the Christian missionaries, and pursued a
course of friendly concession toward En-
glish and American foreigners as well as
the subjects of other powers. The native
government was often in critical conditions
and repeatedly had narrow escapes from
being seized by England and France Fifty
years ago the immense spiritual ascend
ency acquired by the American mission
aries over the chiefs and the whole people
made 1t possible to organize constitutional
and, to some extent, representative govern
ment. The common people, who had all
been abject serfs, became emancipated and
endowed with homestead lands Excellent
judges presided in courts of justice. A
sound fiscal system was established. The
country became one where business enter
prises could prosper. All important de-
partments were conducted by foreigners,
although native chief sometimes nomin-