The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-01
THE HAWAIIAN'S STATUS


have been talking about the Ha-
waiian entering the United States
without vote. Whether the ISL
ands enter the Union as Territory
or as State every Hawaiian will
have vote simply because he is
citizen of the United States, and not
only that but whether this be a
Territory or this be State every
Hawaiian will be eligible to vote in
any Territory or State in the Union.
What is true of Hawaiians, is true
of Portuguese.
Those who have been telling both
these sets of people an entirely
different story knew that they
were not telling the truth and they
have been refuted time and again.
OF the Hawaiian there was no case
in point, only theory to go upon.
Of the Portuguese there was the
actual case of Jacksonville, Ohio,
and the instances where Portuguese
not only voted, but occupied by
election many political Offices of
profit and honor. But it did not
matter what the argument was
based upon, those who have been
interested in opposing annexation
have sedulously refused to believe
in it, and have preached doctrine
that by becoming portion of the
United States the people won d lose
their political rights
Senator Morgan showed that the
United States Government COLD
not take the Islands as a possession
or as colony. 1t could not under
take to rule the Islands. because the
very meat and marrow of the United
States form of government was that
every man was free and equal, and
every State of the Union was a
sovereign Republic in itself. Hawaii
can only be annexed to the United
States upon the condition that the
Hawaiians enter it upon perfect
equality with every other citizen of
the United States.
The Senator showed that man S
right to vote in the United States
does not depend upon color, race or
previous condition and cited his
own county in the State of Ala
bama, where there were so,
people, only 10, 900 of whom were
whites, and the votes of every one
of the 40, were as good as any
one of the 10, 900. And every one
of the 4o,o could claim and was
accorded his proper need of respect.
" No man can claim, or has right
TO ask for respect except upon his
merits, said the Senator, and there
he struck key note. If his merits
and character are high, man, no
matter what his race and color may
be, will command respect. If they
are not, he ought not and does not
command respect because of his
race or color. This is the doctrine
of true democracy. 1t is as COM
pletely opposed to the theory of
mona, chy as are the poles.
Because of position, and of des-
cent there are those under monarchy
who claim respect no matter what
their character or merits may be.
The son or daughter of a duke
claims precedence by right of birth.
He may be the veriest nincompoop
on the face of the earth, he may be
a dissolute scoundrel whose very
presence would pollute any decent
home, but because he is the son Of
a duke he claims higher respect
than Faraday, an Isaac Newton, a
Herbert Spencer, men whose mental
capacity and blameless lives have
put them at the head of the human
race. But true democracy allows
no such distinction. If a mans
father was President of the United
States his son could not claim any
superiority on that account. He
can claim just what his character
and merits can command He can
rise to be President, but he must
doSt through his own exertions and
impressing upon others his merits
and gifts, and not simply that his
father was President before him.
Birth is even a disadvantage to
him. for the glory Of the father is
apt to eclipse the rising glory of the
son.
In annexing the Islands then the
people are received on a perfect
equality with the people of the
United States, and as the Senator
pointed out, there is no reason why
a Hawaiian should not rise to the
very highest honors in the gift of
the Great Republic. With annex