The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-30
GOVERNMENT Of HAWAII
VIA Difference Between the Re-
ports of the Committee.
EORUtTiMATE STATEHOOD
Tbs Minority OBJECTS to h Power Given
the Judges and Also to Property
Qualifications Required
Of q Senator.

ASbf y Eha
will occur in the house over the legis-
lation for the government of Hawaii,
as the majority and minority of the
committee on territories do not agree as
to the form of a bill. Neither do The
majority agree with the report OF the
committee on foreign relations, al
though the differences are not such as
TO cause great difficulty. The majority
report Of the house committee changes
the bill introduced by Mr.. Hit only
slightly, with the exception Of the quail
ifcations for senators and representa-
tives. The property qualifications are
stricken out and any citizen who Is a
voter and has been a resident Of Ha-
wall for three years is eligible. Those
who were citizens of Hawaii on Aug.
IL. 1895. are made citizens OF the United
States. One house will not b0 Allowed
to constitute the legislature in case
the other ~adjourns. nor will IL be neces-
sary to have the sanction of three MEM
bers to introduce a bill in the legisla-
ture. The delegate TO congress shall
possess the same qualifications as a
voter. Bonds issued on the credit Of
the public domain shall be payable In
llt IVES NIah y NV NaA'AA ~
a One years residence must be
prove 10 obtain a divorce.
The minority report was prepared
by II. r. Ferguson. delegate from New
Mexico. who IL a member OF the sub
committee. Mr.. Henry OF Texas Is also
q minority member. but Is now absent.
The report says that the minority IL
unable to agree to some prominent feat
ures of the bill. as introduced. and as
approved by the majority OF that SUBJ
committee. and continues:
1T r. important to emphasize the
fact that new territory acquired should
be governed as other territories of the
United States have been from the foun-
dalton of the government with a view
TO ultimate admission TO statehood. Up
on this theory we believe mat Hawaii
should be given substantially the same
government as has been In other ter
ritories of the United States. and the
importance of this view Is Increased
rather than diminished by the immin-
ent Philippine question. Territory
which we feel Il untitled. either from
the character Of its population, or be-
cause of its distance from our shores.
for statehood in the union ought to be
left alone entirely.
w therefore object to the provision
of the bill making the supreme court Of
the territory OF Hawaii judge Of the
membership Of tbs house OF the terri
torial legislature OF Hawaii. We be-
lieve that each house should be the
final Judge of the qualifications of Its
members. The innovation not only
fails to preserve the constitutional i'm
portsnce OF three great branches 81
government. executive. legislative and
judicial. but tends TO degrade the court
to the level OF political squabbles ana
bias. IL tends also to in
crease the already dangerous power OF
the courts in our system Of govern
ment.
we also object to the property quail
fications for members OF the senate OF
the Legislature OF Hawaii. This dis
qualification also extends TO the voters
for members " that anc OF the leg
islature. This Is an innovation recog-
MIXING by law the right of wealth to
govern. and is certainly n dangerous
tendency in a republic already threat
ened by the great power Of concen-
trated wealth. A residence Of three
years In Hawaii is also necessary for
one 10 become a qualified voter. As our
desire In or hou be 90 Americanize
those islands, we think a residence Of
even less than one year would be pref
cradle. We think also that too great
power In given to the governor. espe-
cially we object TO his being empowered
to nominate part of the judiciary OF
that island for life.
We belieNe mat all or the judges, as
In other territories, should be appointed
by the president and from the bona fide
residents of the territory for a term Of
four years. III life judges are TO be ap-
pointed at all. they should be appointed
by the president"
There are other minor points OF dif-
ference between the minority and ma
tority OF the subcommittee. but the
above are the principal ones. The NIL
nority make no objection 20 the educa-
tional qualifications for citizenship, as
they believe this to have worked well
In the South.