The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-12-16

| lishment OF territorial governments IN the
! United States, but the commissioners re-
gard the provision as ptionally linz
| portant in this bin for many reasons,
among which they mention the continued
importation of cOolie labor into haMau.
| Ecmarking upon this point they say:
IT has been the policy OF the govern-
ment OF Hawaii, before ana since the cs-
tablishment 81 the republic, 90 import
| mon under labor contracts for a term OF
years. az the expiration ~ whieh they ara
/ 10 return 70 the countries from which
they came Those brought In are mainly
from China and Japan.
Chinese Immigration.
''Since the act OF congress annexing Ha-
wall was passed. prohibiting Ihlnese iin-
migration. the Hawaiian sugar planters
have seemd To be making an unusual tf-
fort In securing the Importation OF Ja-
panese laborcrs, fearing trouble ana EN-
barrassmcnt on account of insuihclent IA
Dor for the care and carrying on OF their
sugar plantations. OF course. ~ becomes
necessary TO extend our labor laws over
the Islands, so as TO prohibit al hlhus OF
foreign contract labor from coming TO
the territory. first. because II Is the pol
icy OF this country To keep out all kinds
OF cheap foreign labor. including coohe
labor. ana thereby prevent su,n lapor
from interfering with the wages OF Amer
lean labor. and. secondly 10 protect our
manufactured products from competition
with manufactured goods produced by
cheap alien labor. The general laws OF
the United states will place the people OF
the terriior on the same footing with the
people OF the United States. and OF other
territories OF the United states IN regard
to foreign labor.
'sThe question whether white labor can
prottably be utilized In the sugar planta-
lions Is yet "A problem, but the planters
are preparing TO give such labor "A trial.
and some of them believe IL viii prove SUI
perior TO the labor of either Chinese or
japanese.
No Precedent for Other Isiands.
The commissioners take pains TO ak
press their united opinion that the plan
outlined FOR the government OF ilawaii
can not be regarded as a precedent Tor
Porto Rico and the Philippines, saying ON
this point:
Much has been said TO the effect that
the policy or scheme for the government
for the Hawaiian islands Will be taken
and accepted as an index or precendent
to be followed in the plan OF government
for Porto Rico and the Philippines.
In view of this apparent expectation
or belief on the part OF many good people
In the United states, the commission
deem II proper TO say that the people OF
Hawaii are capable of sefgovernment.
mcnt OF the Republic OF Hawaii and the
adoption OF constitution and code Of
laws which viii compare favorably with
those or any other government, and TN
der such constitution ana laws have
maintained a stable government for Sc
eral years. worthy OF a free people. The
people OF those Islands are more or less
familiar with the institutions and laws
OF the United States, wnie the laws OF
the little republic are largely taken
from the laws OF this country
1T can not be said that either the Por-
to kicans or the Philippines are at all fa-
miliar with our system Of government. or
with any other based on the principles OF
liberty. The underlying theory of our
government Is the right of self-gOvern-
ment. people must be fitted Tor self
government before they can be trusted
with ;he responsibilities and duties at
taching to free government These re-
marks are made to negative the idea that
because the people of the Hawaiian is
lands can. I'm the judgment OF the COM
be consistently given sclf-gov-
eminent TO an extent almost equal to
that given the people In the United States.
II can be safely inferred that other in
sular possessions which the United States
have or may acquire by treaty with
Spain can be granted equal freedom. in
government
President Doie's Recommendation.
The report is unanimous. except upon
one point, on which President Dole makes
A minority recommendation. This recon-
mendation IS for "A board OF advisers To
cmmends that the treasurer. attorney
general, superintendent of public works
and the commissioner of public lands
shall be constituted special counselors OF
the governor. to be consulted by him con-
earning all matters OF public policy
Mr.. Dole gives as his reason for this
recommendation the fear that without
some such provision the governor may
TO himself greater power than
is contemplated.
The majority. in their report. express
the opinion that the precaution Is not
necessary. saying that THE history Of the
territories Of the United States covering
opinion OF the commission. shown ne
ncssity for the creation Of any number OF
advisers"
The Other Two BiiIs.
OF the other two bills. one relates to
Hawaiian silver and treasury notes and
the other to postal savings hanks in
iiawaii The first provides that unmuti-
lated Hawaiian silver coins shall be re-
reived at par value In payment Of all
dues to the government of the territory
II Hawaii and OF the United States and
shall not again be issued, but shall on
presentation in sums OF $500 to either gov
eminent be purchased and rccoined AZ
bullion at the United States mint in san
Francisco Al Hawaiian silver certin-
s@ 8 s; are to be redeemed by the territory
of Hawaii on or before January !, 1902
The other Is bill which repeals the
Hawaiian laws establishing postal saw
ngs banks. and directs the secretary OF
the treasury To pay the amounts on de- I
poslt IN the postal savings banks I'm Ha- !
wall TO the persons entitled thereto I
the interest on all deposits |,
On the lst Of July, 1899, and forbidding
further deposits after that date.
me report contains an inventory Of the \
public property Of the republic which now
an estimated value of SO. ilS,74O.
speaking OF the character OF the popu- !
aInn 10 the ISLANDS. and referring espe- 1
,ialy TO the recommendation for confer |
ling citizenship upon the Portuguese, and |
falling TO confer IL upon the Chinese and l
Japanese. the report says:
The Americans Dominate.
THE Americans. although in such /.
small minority. practically dominate the \
governmental affairs OF the country and 4
with the British and Germans and part /
blood Hawaiian Americans. together con- !
'titute the controlling element in the is
ands. The Chinese and Japanese do not \
Tow possess political power, nor have they |
my important relation to the body pol l
tic, except as laborers The Portugucse /
IRE largely immigrants from the islands \
md colonies Of Portugal in the Atlantis \
md have never been very closely tied to \
heir mother country. With the certain, l
'egard which Is bound to exist between, /
hem and the Americans in Hawaii AMI I
inder the influence of the existing publi,
chool system; which makes the study of |
he English language compulsory they L
promise TO be a good class of people for |
he growth Of republican IDEAS