Evening star., 1898-11-23
HAWAllANS WANT
WHAT
Justice Frear Talks Interestingly of the
People of the Islands.
Well Fitted for Self-GOvernment-
Attempt to Introduce White
Labor.

Associate Justice Frear of the Hawaiian
supreme court, and member of the COM
mission appointed by President Mckinley
to provide form of government for the
recently acquired territory of Hawaii. is n
the city in attendance upon the meetings
of the commission. Judge Frear is a native
of the United States, but has been identi-
fed for many years with the development
of Hawaii
''The people of Hawaii" said Judge Frear
to Star reporter. want their form OF
government to be that Of an organized
territory, with governor appointed by
the President, a delegate IN the House of
Representatives of the United States and q
legislature elected by the people.
Well Fitted for Self-GOvernment.
Hawaii is we'll fitted for such a govern
ment, for her citizens have enjoyed a con-
stitutional government for sixty years
Even under the monarchy they had a leg
islature and the native Hawaiians partici-
pated In the elections. The establishment
of such n government, therefore. will not
be in the nature of an experiment. Ameri-
can minds have guided events in the mai t
ter OF government.
The Hawaiian system included the three
branches of legislative, judicial and execu-
tive, as in the United States system. The
courts were presided over by American
judges in the upper branches and trials
were conducted much the same as in this
country. There were trials by jury. there
were courts of equity and courts of law.
The common law was law, except where
changed by statutes, and they were model
ed after the statutes of this country. For
these reasons the people of Hawaii think
they are entitled to a government as lib
eral as that afforded the residents of Okla
hOma or Arizona.
hat Ia ink vi ha
of the coolie labor problem?" Judge Frear
was asked.
Under the present law coolie labor can
he imported. Our people, If left to their
system: but we will not hesitate to give 1t
up if required. We realize that the sta
hility of Cover anent will be SO largely IN
creased under annexation that we could
afford to amend our labor laws and sacri-
flee cheap labor.
To Introduce White Labor.
LAS a matter of fact, our planters are
now starting In to make serious attempt
to introduce white laborers. Some have
already been brought in from California,
and 1t is believed the experiment will sue
ceed. The notion seems to prevail in some
quarters that white men cannot work in
the tropics. 1t must be remembered, how
ever, that there are differences in tropical
countries. Hawaii really is on the edge of
the tropics. Furthermore, the islands are
tempered by cool ocean current, which
reduces the temperature 10 degrees below
that of other countries in the same lati-
tude. great proportion of the best cof-
fee lands are located in a very temperate
zone.
Il have found il some places in the Uni
ted States a wrong impression about the
native Hawaians and the extent of their
education. Hawaii has had a public school
system for more than half a century and
every child was obliged to attend school
between the ages of six and fifteen years.
There is scarcely a child that cannot read
and write English, and the percentage of
illiteracy among the native HawaianS is
as small in any other country"