The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-09
MAJOR GENERAL WHEELER
Completes His Active
Service as Soldier.
TO REMAIN IN ARMY

Until the Volunteers Are Mustured Out
of Service-GeneraI Lawton to Conn.
mand the Fourth Army Corps-The
New York Reaches Havana-General
Henry's Reforms in Porto Rico.
Elections to be Held IN All Towns.
Prisoners TO be Given Trials
Washington, December 6.-The pres
ident today transmitted to congress the
report of the Hawaiian commission,
consisting Of Senators Cullom and Nor
gan, Representative Hit, President
Dole and Justice Frear, of Hawaii, to-
gether with the text of bills RAW by
the commission for the government of
the islands as a portion of the United
States. The preliminary portion Of the
report is mainly descriptive of the Ha-
Waiian islands, the inhabitants, the
existing institutions, the public domain,
productions, climate, harbors and ship
ping facilities, and various conditions
of general interest. The remaining
portion is mainly devoted to a discus
sion of the legislation proposed by the
commission, giving in the appendix the
various reports of subcommittee and
copies OF the bills suggested.
Three bills are formulated for the
consideration of congress. The first
and principal one outlines a general
plan Of government and the other two
deal with subordinate questions.
1t provides for the erection Of the is
lands into a territory Of the United
States, to be styled the TERRITORY of
Hawaii" The bill contains provisions
for of the territory, giving
it executive, Legislative and judicial Of
GERS. A governor, secretary or the ter"
ritory, a United States district judge,
a United States district attorney and a
United States marshal are to be ap-
pointed by the president and an inter-
nal revenue district and a customs dis
trict are created. The officers Of the
territory under the new regime are an
attorney general, with similar powers
and duties as now possessed by the at
torney general of the republic Of Ha-
wall, with a few exceptions; a treasur-
er, with similar powers and duties TO
the present minister Of finance, and
such powers and duties regarding IL
censes, corporations and companies
and partnerships and registration OF
prints. labels and trade marks as are
now possessed by the minister Of the
interior, except as changed; also a SUI
perintendent of public works, a super
intendent of public instruction; an au-
ditor and a deputy auditor; a survey,
or, with the powers and duties OF a
surveyor general, and a chief sheriff to
succeed to the duties of marshal of the
republic, all to be appointed by the
governor.
Probably the most important portion
of the bill is Section 4, defining citi-
Zenship, which provides that ALI white
persons, including Portuguese and per-
sons of African descent, and all per
sons descended from the Hawaiian
race on either the paterral or maternal
side. who were citizens Of the republic
of Hawaii Immediately prior to the
transfer Of the sovereignty thereof to
the United States, are hereby declared
to be citizens of the United States"
Provision is made for a Legislature to
consist of two hOuses-a senate, to con-
sist Of fifteen members as at present.
and a house of representatives, con-
sisting of thirty members, double the
membership of the house under the Ha-
waiian republic. The members are tC
be elected at a general election TO be
held on the Tuesday after the first
Monday in November, 1899, and bien-
nially thereafter. The supreme court
is to be the sole judge of the legality
of election to a seat in either house in
case of contest. The sessions of the
legislature are limited to sixty days in
duration and each member is allowed
i $500 as salary and ten cents a mile for
travelling expenses. A senator is re-
CURED to be a male citizen of the
United States, so years of age, to have
| resided IL the territory three years. be
the owner in his own right of $4,000
| worth of property, or to have during
| the preceding year received 81, 900 in
| come. Representatives must be 20
, years old male citizens, must have liv-
ed three years in Hawaii and must
| either own $500 worth of property or
have an income of $3.50 a year.
The bill also provides for the election
| Of a delegate to the house of represen-
| tatives in congress by the voters quail
fed to vote for representatives in the
| legislature, this delegate to possess the
! same powers and privileges now ac-
| corded to other delegates in congress.
The bill provides that the cOnstitu-
I ton and laws of the United States To-
cally applicable shall lave the same
force and effect in the territory of Ha-
wall as elsewhere in the United states
. This is the usual provision u in the
acts OF congress providing for the es-
Y ldDiISIlIIIcIIl vi
in the United States, but the commits
sioners regard the provision as excep-
tionally important in this bill for many
reasons. among which they mention the
continued importation of coolie labor
into Hawaii
The commissioners take pains to eX-
! press their united opinion that the
plan outlined by the government Of
Hawaii cannot be regarded as a prec-
edent for Porto Rico and the Philip
pines.
The report is unanimous, except on
the point which President Dole make
d minority recommendation. h
recommendation is for a board OF ad-
visors to the governor of the territory
and he recommends that the treasurer.
attorney general. superintendent OF
public works and the commissions 81
public lands shall be constituted spe-
ella coupsellors Of the governor to be
consulted by him concerning all mat
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