The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-01-05

ADVERTISING RATES .
FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1894.
THE MATTER OF SUFFRAGE.

If we understand the statements
of the HoiOmNa, apropos of the suf-
frage question, they are that the
natives will not be satisfied with
anything less than their own way
in the legislative concerns of the
country and that, in such an am
bition, the Japanese residents will
coincide with them. Followed so
far as it goes, this plea means that,
to do Justice" to the native and
Oriental jewellers in the land, the
disposal of all that has been gained
by the Reform movement and the
January revolution must be left i'll
their hands. There is so little
difference in this from return to
the Kalakauan dynasty with its
scandals and its despotisms, that
the proposal needs a straighter
face than the H0k0mHa can keep to
preserve it from being mistaken for
a light Jest. Obviously the domin-
ant party in these Islands did not
achieve progress for the benefit of
reaction. AS the owners of $685.,
900, 900 out of S34, 900, 900 of Ha-
waiian property as the conserva-
tors of civilization and Christianity
here as the ones who have the
high title to rule conferred by
successful revolution, they are not
to be expected to lay their great in
terests and principles at the feet Of
those who have shown themselves
unable to govern the group with
wisdom, prudence and peace and
who have had to be dispossessed of
the misused reins of power.
1t is conceded by many, how
ever, that the natives should have
some form Of representation. They
cannot claim, either because of
property interests or political princi-
pie, or the history of their govern
ment, to have a controlling form,
and in most countries, situated as
this one is, they would obtain none
at all. There is an American pre-
cedent to regard them simply as
wards of the nation. 1t happens,
however, that the white people of
the Islands, particularly Of the
American element, are their friends
and desire that they shall have
chance to be heard in their own
behalf, to push measures that will
be an advantage to them and not a
disadvantage to the rest of the peo-
pole and to argue all subjects, in the
halls of State, in which their race
interests may be involved. Left to
themselves in coordinate legisla-
tive branch, they would do many
unwise things, as they always
have, and be the prey of white ad
venturers, as they always were;
but influenced by such body as the
present Advisory Council, they
would be able to secure many
advantages and concessions of
benefit to them and of no harm to
the business or religious welfare of
Hawaii - advantages that might
not be thought of or labored for if
white men were alone in the coun-
ellis of State. What many desire to
see are two houses; the lower open
to the suffrage of all who can read
and write the English language;
the upper representing the party
which won the revolution and is
mainly concerned in and respon-
sible for the material welfare of
the Islands; and if necessary the
addition of legislative status to
the executive council, so that the
two highest out of what would
really be three houses could init
ate legislation which the lower
house, as a mere means of mischief,
coercion as bull-dozing, should re-
fuse to set afoot.
These are merely suggestions of
plans which, at their best are
fraught with difficulty and which
are by no means yet decided upon
in any quarter. 1t will be unwise
for the natives to be led into oppos-
ing them by contest for equal
legislative or administrative con-
troll for that would be preferring
the bird in the sky which
no arrow can bring down to bird
in the hand. We have no doubt
that there will be plenty of false
friends to urge the spirit of resist
ance upon the aborigines as means
of keeping the country troubled
but it will pay them best to turn
their backs upon such as these. 1t
is their interest as natives to see