The herald., 1898-11-24
THE REPORT ON HAWAII
WILL BE PREPARED BEFORE
CONGRESS MEETS
THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSED
Based on That Now Obtaining in the
Territories, Plus Qualifications
Imposed on Voters
Associated Press Special Wire


WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-The commits
sion appointed by the president to recon-
mend a form of government for the Hawaiian
islands as a part of the United States met
in Senator Cullom's committee room at the
capitol today for the first time since leaving
Honolulu. Senators Cullom and Morgan,
Representative Hit and Judge Frear were
present.
The meeting was devoted to discussing de-
tails of the bill and the report which the
commission will present to congress, which
had not been fully decided upon at the last
meeting. The legislation recommended
by the commission will be included in
bill which, to all intents and purposes,
will be an enabling act, and very much like
the bills providing for the admission of new
states into the Union, except in the one inn
portant detail that it provides for the ad
mission OF Il territory, and not a state.
The bill has been completed but will prob
ably be amended somewhat in detail
The report has not been completed but
the commission has decided upon its import
ant features. One of these is a recommends
ton that the system of importing laborers
under contract shall be discontinued. The
commissioners have concluded that as the
system Is contrary to the laws applying to
this country as Il whole, it would not be
wise to continue it, even temporarily. in
Hawaii. 1t is understood that a majority,
at least, of the members OF the commission
do not accept the theory that Americans and
Europeans cannot do manual labor in the
islands.
The commission will recommend regular
territorial form OF government, with gov
ernor, a delegate in congress and a legsla-
ture. The legislature will be elected by the
qualified voters of the islands. but there will
he property and educational qualifications
imposed upon those who vote for members of
the upper house of the legislature. The
franchise will not he extended to the Japan
ese or Chinese in the island but the Portu-
guese who become citizens will not be ex-
cluded under the restrictions imposed.
The commission will present full details
OF the value of the property acquired. the
income of the tariff taxes and other import
ant facts bearing upon the government of tho
islands. They estimate that the property
secured to the United States will amount to
more than Sl0,000000.
Justice Frear, one of the Hawaiian
commissioners, and also a member of the
supreme court of Hawaii, said this afternoon.
in answer to question as to the solution of
the coolie labor problem in Hawaii:
Under the present law. coolie labor can
be imported. Our people. if left to their
choice. would prefer to continue this svs-
ten, but we will not hesitate to give it up if
required We realize that the stability of
the government will be so largely increased
under annexation that we could afford to
amend our labor laws and sacrifice cheap
labor
''As matter of fact. our planters are now
starting in to make a serious attempt to in.
troduce white laborers. Some have al
ready been brought in from California. and
it is believed the experiment will succeed.
The notion seems to prevail in some quar-
tiers that white men cannot work in the
tropics. 1t must be remembered. however.
that there are differences in tropical coun-
tries. Hawaii really is on the edge of the
tropics. Furthermore the islands are tenn
pered by a cool ocean current. which re-
duces the temperature 10 degrees below that
OF other countries in the same latitude. A
great proportion of the best coffee lands are
located IN very temnerate zone -