Hawaii holomua = Progress., 1894-04-09
Why They Don't Register

systematic move on foot to pre-
vent registration Of Hawaiians
and Portuguese. The question
of citizenship has a great deal to
do with the hesitation amo1g the
foreigners to take the oath OF the
P. G. The Portuguese govern
ment as well as other European
governments, We presume, does
not relinquish its supremacy over
its citizens even if these should
take the oath now prescribed by
the Provisional government. But
there is no guarantee that future
Hawaiian government will not
claim all those who took that as
subjects and insist in them per-
forming the duties and obligations
of Hawaiian citizens, aud in case
of an emergency deny the right
Of the mans home government
to interfere on his behalf. Mr..
W. o. Smith-the most learned
Attorney -General-has given an
opinion on the matter and he SAYS
that the oath will not interfere
with the citizenship of the taker.
Now this is very nice and as far
as Mr.. Smith is concerned, very
pleasant, but as Mr.. c. W. Ash
ford has pointed out land he is
nearly as good a lawyer as Mr..
SMITH it isn't for the learned
Attorney General to decide such
a question-it is for the Supreme
Court solely and only. Nobody
can know today what the opinion
of the Supreme Court, in this
matter will be and there isn't the
mind-reader born, who ever
could guess, how that immaculate
body might jump on any question.
Should now the Supreme Court
decide that a taking of the oath
owes allegiance to Hawaii nei,
and at the same time the repre-
sentative of the man 5 government
holds that he doesn't. there will
be conflict which might lead to
the most disagreeable compli-
cations. As far as the Portuguese
are concerned, we must say, that
we consider it perfectly natural
that they should refuse to register
even leaving out of the question,
the matter of citizenship. If they
countenance and support the
constitutional convention, they
will be working dead against
themselves. There can be no
doubt. that, whatever government
is framed here, equal rights will
and must be granted to the Japa-
nese. The semi-official organ of
the Advertiser has already admit
ted, that, and has already
prescribed a remedy, which would
practically deprive the japanese
of the right to vote. The remedy
is to restrict the franchise to
Hawaiian citizens only, and to
place an educational qualification
on the privilege. Such method
would beyond doubt, disfranchise
the japanese but it would most
decidedly also disfranchise the
Portuguese, and the leaders among
whom who mean honest to their
countrymen. have realized that
fact some time ago. The govern
ment organs have also realized
the consequences of their own
proposition, and they have there
fore made another to the effect
that those who join now shall be
exempt from the coming rules of
qualifications and become voters.
Don't believe in the feasibility
of the proposition for moment.
The japanese will not allow it.
They claim that they are pre-
vented from registering and voting
now-however willing they may
be-and they do not believe in
allowing other foreigners to get
an advantage over them that
would be just as much of an in
justice and an infringement on
their treaty rights as has been
the present state Of affairs. They
viii insist in equality among all
foreigners, and they viii enforce
their claim, if necessary, by force.
The measures then TO be adopted
BY the Hawaiian Government are
such that aliens viii be disfran-
chised. and we are unable to see
~ D.., sk.Il t. -.