Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-02-03

MAJ IududS0 SUCH lduuS us Uuey
deem best, but not in a manner
contrary to law"
A great change must have come
over these chieftains that they were
willing to agree to the following
sections, for by it they recognized
the right of the people to voice
in the Legislature. Kamehameha
LII. and his chiefs only needed
to be told by their instructors that
the common people had rights and
they should be represented. And
they, after only twenty years of
Christian. civilization, were ready
to grant to the people what is still
denied them in Russia. The Con-
stitution declared that there should
be an annual election of men to
assemble and make laws, together
with the chiefs. "They shall be
from Hawaii, Maui, Oahu and
Kauai. The common people should
vote for whom they choose. The
law will prescribe the method of
voting and the numberto be chosen.
The persons chosen will have some
thing to say in the government.
No law shall be passed without
the agreement of a majority of
them" On the second of Novem-
Der, 1910, the Council passed the
law respecting the election of rep
resentatives. There should be two
, each for Hawaii, Maui and ada
cent islands, and Oahu, and one
for Kauai. A letter 1.-THE form of
which is given) should be written
addressed to the king stating the
names of the two men to represent
the island and stating that they
were wise and good and that the
signers desired them to sit that
year in the Council with the
chiefs. These letters were to be
circulated among the people who
should sign them if they desired
the men mentioned. The names
receiving the greatest number of
signatures were to be the repre-
sentatives. A fine of SO was i'm
posed for forged signatures or
double signing, or for writing
another mans name. Thus early
an educational qualification was
imposed to entitle a person to
vote. There is nothing in the law
to indicate that only males
and adults were allowed to
vote, but such was the fact.
The expenses of the represents
tives going and returning were to
be paid by the government. But
not the expenses while in attend
ance, presumably because in those
days native lived with and upon
his friends, whenever away from
home.
The Constitution also provided
that the two bodies should sit
separately but they could sit in
joint council whenever they wish
ed it. Each body should choose
a secretary, who should record the
debates and the acts passed. The
record was to be kept forever
'that their acts literally SAY
ings" for the benefit of the king
dom should not be lost" No new
law should be passed unless the
majority of each body agreed to
it. Any act agreed upon should
be presented in writing to the
king and if he agrees to it and he
and the premier sign it, then it
shall be law for the kingdom.
This gave him the veto. mo law
shall be repealed unless the per.
sons that established it shall re-
peal it."
At the first session of the King
and Chiefs alone, at Lahaina, June
| 7, 1889, law to regulate the
taxes" as stated in its title, had
been passed. 1t had % sections
and dealt fully with all the social
and economic questions among
this simple people. 1t would take
too much time to discuss it at
length, but in its preamble much
of it is declared to be simply
instructive. IF penalty is affix-
ed that is absolute law" 1t pre-
scribed poll tax to be paid in
monsy, one dollar for man, SOC
for woman, 25c for boy and
129c for a girl, and land tax to
be paid in swine; but where pigs
could not be obtained, arrowroot,
cotton, sugar and fish nets would
be received in lieu, There was
then very little coin in circulation
among the people. A large land
| r,hnI1ld f,n,,.,sn. IL u