The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-05-04
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
ANOTHER DISSERTATIONS ON A
MUCH-MoOrED MATTER.
stiii Another Correspondent Presents
some New Ideas on the
Question.

The following communication on the
question of suffrage was handed in this
mornings
EDITOR STAR: The voter in Hawaii
is still on trial and many interesting
questions will arise now and hereafter
for practical solution.
Hawaii is the only country in the
world where persons not citizens or sub
jects, have the franchise; whether they
be right or wrong it is difficult to say.
The only answer seems to be favorable;
as the application of the departure from
a fixed principal of government has
met with general acquiescence.
1t is interesting that none of the
leaders of the ignorant vote, in times
past, had a sufficient knowledge on the
subject to assault the arrangement
instead of the futile attack upon the
qualification proceeded in the Consti.
tuition of 1887 for noble voters.
The late election for delegates to the
constitutional convention on the Island
was an interesting experiment in the
application of the cumulative vote
adopted in all probability by the Govern
ment in order that all classes taking
part in the election might secure full
share of representation. Whether this
was accomplished remains to be seen.
lie
appointment at the general average of
the delegates elected, but this source of
regret plainly arose from the inefficient
method of nomination of candidates
adopted by the Central Committee-a
convention of party delegates would
doubtless have accomplished better
result.
Many persons have apparently failed
to grasp the distinction between the
plural and the cumulative vote.
The plural vote is that by which the
voter is given the right to cast more
than one vote, in proportion to his intel
ligence or property.
The cumulative vote allows the mass
ing OF the single votes for each OF the
number of candidates to be elected upon
one or more OF those to be elected.
A good illustration OF plural voting is
to be found in the working of the ordi-
nary commercial corporation, where
each stakeholder votes in proportion to
his interest in the concern.
Those who participated in the election
on Wednesday will appreciate the differ
ence from the method practiced by them.
There is "A phase of the suffrage which
should be clearly understood. There
are two important theories regarding
the basis of suffrage:
l. That it is privilege granted by
the State to such persons or classes as
are deemed most likely to use it for the
public veal;
2. That, like life, it is gift from
nature-a natural right of all persons.
This is pure fiction. If this so-callet
natural right is denied, it can not b.
enforced; if it exists it must be uncon
ditioned. Few who approve it seek t.
apply it to women, and none t.
minors. We shall adopt the frs
theory as our basis. Most states hav,
acted upon the theory and have place.
conditions upon the suffrage, as age
sex, nationality, religious profession
rank, military service, possession o
property, tax payment, character, in
telligence, term of residence, etc.
The advocates of the extended sui
frage claim: First, that it gives the Stat
the greatest practicable security agains
internal violence. Second, that tn
chances of wise conduct of both il
internal and external affairs are il
creased with every addition of indivic
uals. Third, that each individual an
class best knows its own interests an
wants. Fourth. that no indiviC
ual or class can be saf'
ly intrusted to protect another
interest as that other itself. Advocate
of plural voting claim that all OF thes
results are more admirably secured b
giving every member of the communit
measure of voice proportional to I'll
degree of his intelligence or propert.
"'No one" says Mill, "but those
whom an priori theory has silence
common sense will maintain that pow,
over others, over the whole communit
should be impaired to people who hay
not acquired the commonest and mo
essential requisites for taking care I
themselves-for pursuing intelligent
their own interests and those of the pc
sons most nearly allied to them.
Intelligence is not an infallible test
political wisdom and if it is an admittt
evil to withhold the suffrage from al
person the prevention of greater eN
demands its denial to the illiterat
The one man one vote principle, ho'
ever, for obvious reasons, is makil
great strides in all countries and its a
plication to England, and the Englil
voter is one of the points which will
battled for by the liberal party und
Lord Roseberry at the next electio
Any proposition to incorporate this pri
ciple into the new constitution won
not probably meet with very genel
support from the convention and c.
tainly not from the greater class of I
community.
The prevailing desire of the predor
nant party in Hawaii is to mould
new Government on American lin
and manhood suffrage will undoubteC
be adopted with, however, such CO
ditions imposed upon it as the pecul
necessities of the case seem to require
Advocates of the cumulative "