Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-31
HAWANSCIVIL STATUS
The Government Controlled Only by
tn Intelligent Class.
NO NATIVES, JAPANESE OR CHINESE
Only Thoroughly American Colony
on the Earth.
ARGUMENT FOR ANNEX ALTON
pc cial Correspondence of The Evening Star.


Hawaiians as mostly lacking in such
mental and neral qualities as make it
safe to intrust a majority Of them
with any very influential vote in the
government of the country. This fact be-
comes of serious Importance as bearing
upon our fitness for annexation to the
United States. You have to consider
whether you can wisely admit to the Union
state the majority Of whose voting popu-
!ation are incapacitated by intellect and
character for those broadly democratic in
situations which mostly prevail with you.
l hope to make it clear that this fact need
he no objection, by showing that the al
tending conditions are such as already rem
der successful a well-ordered government
which is thoroughly liberal and republican
although not quite so broadly democratic
as your more capable and intelligent popu-
latlons are able to sustain with an unre-
stricted manhood suffrage.
Ihis very term manhood implies some
restriction. Not to speak of limiting the
franchise to males. which in some new
states Is done away with, it limits it to
those reaching majority. Yet this is felt TO
be no hardship. although there are multi
tddes or youth under twenty-one who are
better qualified to cast wisely discriminate
ing vote than are twice their number Of
grown men living in the same commune
ties. 1t is felt TO be a good general rule
mat certain number of years of life ex-
Ference should be, attained before it is
safe for men to be intrusted with suffrage
mere must be limitations somewhere
Chlldren, idiots, insane persons must be ex-
Guoed from voting, as we'll as criminals
mere is a sim lar necessity as tn large
numbers of men who have ~rea ched matnre
years IN ignorant populations of the weak
er races. The most extreme democrat would
not extend suffrage to untaught Indians
1t Is true OF such depressed races that even
"hen taught to read and write they have
attaileu 10 no genuine manhood such as
MS Them to vote. They are still thorough
~ cniidlsh in sentiment and sef-direction
OF will. They can only be governed not
participate in governing
u IS obvious to all Observers that the
fciyfesian is one of the weaker, unde-
s suropea races OF the world. While innately
superior TO most savage races-for example
10 the unmiXed negro tribes of the Congo
basln, and immensely above the neproid
Meiaae SLAMS of tne New Hebrides-the Poly
iesianS yet belong to the'"weak- mature peo-
pies, between whom and severely trained
races, like these of China and japan. there
hes great CALF of character and capacity
~ No PIE 1lie conVersant with different races Of
mankind can doubt the extremes of fixed
hereditary diversity in mental and moral
power existing among their tribes any more
imam breeder of sheep doubts the extreme
inherited difference between scruh sheen
and merinos w saeep
Among men of able and cultured European
races assembled in an American state tba
ta per or equal manhood suffrage may
oe ihaue 10 work with fair success while the
exercise OF the franchise by an iil-oualified
lnlnorlty may have a useful educative in
nuene e. upon them which somewhat com
HE'D vet,n LOT tnelr laundering and unprinci-
pleu Young. But in no state where A ma
Jo!lty OF the people are childish or base
minded can free government exist on q
p pure democratic basis. In a democracy
SOU government demands an electorate a
majority of whom are substantfaJIv H;.a
anu e. sood persons. Among debased popula
lions, the more nominally democratic n no
H ~. ne more completely does it become
tne prey OF dictatOrs and eligarchies who
intermittently snatch control from eac,,
other. o'ii each
republication in Hawaii.
How has this matter of renub,tcan eoy-
eminent been arranged in Hawaii, where
admittedly large majority of the perma-
heht population Qeaving Asiatics out of
COUNT are united for Q controlling vote?
ale VS. y the disorderly and haf-harbar--
GUS condition of Central American repub-
hcs' or are we fit to enter your Union as
qulet. orderly, well-governed, civilized, free
4.ale: Coh1essedly, we are not broadly
democratic, after the usual manner OF m
1Ss.ilc.ed suffrage in your northern states
we nave material limitations in our s,;f-
1rage But 1t is these very limitations we'll
aoapted to the character Of our voting poD-
ulatlon, which enable us to matatafI, a
.ePuOlfCdIl government On3@t that is
constitutional, represent ative and Yitalized
py the healthiest and heartiest breath of
American freedom. BY means OF a judicial
moalnca ton of the suffrage, the controlling
pontlcai power has been retained in the
hands of the ADLER and more reliable civil
lzeo minority leaving to the incompetent
majority such a share Of political power as
ia tney r, can safely exercise and such as helps
a republic OF the highest class, one which
Worth1iy aspires to q partnership in the
glorious American Union
II was the happy fortune Of our leaders,
public of Hawaii two years ago, that they
did not have to create liberal institutions
de novo They were enabled to build upon
old constitutional and representative foun-
gradually taking shape for half a century
Those old Institutions were in prac teal
working. They were measurably adapted
to the condition and needs Of the peculiar
population OF the country. No general po-
1t1cal reconstruction was required The
legislature of the republic was not radically
changed in structure from that of the mon
archy. But slight change was made in the
limitations of suffrage. Greater changes
were made in distribution between the
senate and executive of the already much
limited powers Of the sovereign. BY these
changes the senate became in some inlpor-
tant respects the more powerful branch of
the legislature. At the same time the up
per house is elected by limited suffrage
that for the lower HOUSE being nearly IN.
1t should be fully understood that under
the republic the natives remain endowed
with all the voting privileges they ever
possessed Indeed. those privileges have
been considerably enlarged from what
they were under the monarchy. The old
ruling chiefs never dared to grant their
subjects very large share of power. The |
constitution granted by Kamehameha III
In 1851 enabled the common people who |
could read ana write to choose the MEM
bers OF the lower house. Those Of the |
house. of mobiles were all appointed by the |
king for life. A later constitution in 1884
made the two houses sit together so that
the kings appointees. b. combining with |
his elected partisans fsthe lower house.
Thus the system leaned much seward ab.
solutism, and the people, had little power
Indeed. It was not safe to intyust them
they: Unfortunately the king and most
Of his mobiles were theiSselves weak-mind-
SCI
The partial rsvoiutiosf made by the
In In fad