The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-12-30
NEN LAWS FOR HAWAII
COMMITTEE REPORTS
THE BILL.
Changes Made in Original Draft of the
Hawaiian Commissioners Citizen
ship Decided.

HnWaiIan government bill, which I'M
will form the basis for the
action OF Congress and it is now be-
Iieved will pass durin. January, was
reported to the senate uy Senator Cul-
lon today with a favorable recommen-
dation. rhe bill is in the form in
which it will come from the house
committee on territories, and, while a
strong fight will be made on it on
the floor there will be few changes,
it is believed by men who are standing
i'm line to work for its passage.
WASHINGTON, December 21.-The
senate committee on foreign relations
today concluded its revision of the
bills providing "A territorial govern
ment for Hawaii. and Senator Cullom
reported the changes to the senate.
The most important changes are as
follows:
The section defining citizenship was
amended by striking out the word
white" and also the explicit refer
ence to Portuguese and left to read
as follows:
THAT all persons who were citizens
of the Republic Of Hawaii on August
21. 1895. are hereby declared to be cit
liens of the United States"
The request of one-iifth of the MEM
bers of the territorial house of repre-
sentatives is made sufficient to demand
the ayes and noes. the original re-
quirement being Onc-third.
The provision in regard to the quail
ifications of territorial senators is
changed so as to require that the SEN
ator shall be a male citizen, 30 years
of age. that he shall have resided in
the Hawaiian Islands not less than
three years and that he shall be quail
flied to vote for senator's"
Explicit property qualifications for
senator is out \ like change is made
in provision regarding the members
of the house, who are required to be
qualified by the changes to vote for
representative.
Section 43. allowing one house of
the Legislature to legislate after the
other has adjourned. was stricken out,
as was also the provision requiring
that each bill should receive the writ
ten approval of three members before
being introduced. The provisions au-
thorizing the territorial supreme
court to pass upon the qualifications
of members of the Legislature was not
changed and it was left as recon-
mended by the commission.
The governor is required to send
his estimates for appropriations to the
Legislature as a whole. and not to
the senate alone. as originally re-
quired.
The following restrictions on the
issuance of bonds is inserted: "Nor
Il, -. 4
of any Indebtedness be issued unless
made redeemable in not more than
five years and payable in not more
than fifteen wears from the date of is
SUE thereof"
The provision that no retroactive
law shall be enacted is stricken out.
In the qualifications for voters for
territorial representatives the word
'understandingly" in the educational
qualification is stricken out. requiring
simply that they shall read. write
and speak the English or Hawaiian
language" No change is made in the
qualifications for voters for senator's
The provision in regard to the reg
iStration of Hawaiian vessels was also
changed TO read as follows: "That all
vessels CARRYING Hawaiian registers on
the 18th of August, 1895. shall be en-.
titled to be registered as American
vessels. with the benefits and priv
leges pertaining thereto"
Section 1903 in regard TO the crown
lands was changed so as to eliminate
the clause confirming all valid leases
now in existence. There are many
technical changes. and i'm cases where
Hawaii is referred to as "the Govern
ment of Hawaii" it is changed tc
make it the territory of Hawaii.