The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-09-13
MADE A GOOD IMPRESSION
HAWAIIAN NATIONAL. LEAGUE
COMMITTEE.
Present Their Memorial to the Com
missioners his Morning and Were
Asked Many Questions.

SlOH nearly an nOuG, many questions
being put to them by the Commission
ers directed to last nights royalist
meeting, for which the Commission
ers seemed to seek an explanation.
From the tone of questions and the
evident desire of the Commission to as
certain all that was possible about the
leaders of the royalist meeting, it
would appear that a very bad impress
sion has been effected by it i'm the
minds of some at least of the Com
missioners. Other questions put to
the committee touched on the fran
chise.
Following is the text of the memo
rial presented.
The Hawaiian National League by
its committee duly appointed by the
several delegates of the several branch
associations from the several Islands
at meeting duly held in Honolulu,
on the 18th day of September, 1898,
respectfully ask you to embody in
your report as part of your recon-
mendation to Congress the following:
The form of government which
would meet the approval and serve
the best interests of these Islands
of an organized territorial form of
government with the right to admin
lister our own local affairs in the wild
est manner possible, not in conflict
with the interests of the Federal gov
ernment. Our reasons for asking for
this form of government are:
First-That we have been accustom-
ed for the past fifty years or more to
exercise the highest prerogatives of a
sovereign state.
Second-That in the exercise of
these sovereign rights we have kept
ourselves free from foreign entangle-
ments, and have given the greatest
amount of protection to life and prop
erty, enabling subjects of other ma
tions to enjoy the benefits of free
and enlightened government.
Third-That under the new order
of things, the form of government we
pray for, will enable us to qualify
ourselves for statehood, should wealth
and population favor us.
We pray that we be given the right
to vote in all local affairs compatible
with representative government.
without any restriction except that
of an educational one. Our reasons
for asking for the suffrage in this
form are:
First-We believe that every person
living in representative government
should have the right to participate
therein, and as we have had a repre-
sentative form of government here
tofore, the exercise of such right is
neither new nor strange to us.
SnnnnI- w, haliaV., hn h., ;Y,,,,.f
ton of "a property qualification is not
compatible to the best interests of all,
but gives to the property holder an
over-powering influence not in ac-
cordance with the constitution of the
United States, or with its policy, that
Enlightenment or intellectually shall
be the guiding star of its institutions.
We pray that our judiciary system
shall be kept in the present form as
near as possible, and that our SUI
preme court be the last court of resort
in all matters pertaining to our local
affairs. Our reasons for asking this
are
First-That our present system has
given us the fullest measure of JUS
tice.
Second That it would work a great
hardship to us if appeals were to be
taken to the United States which none
but the rich could afford to.
We pray that no contract laborers
be allowed to come into the country,
but ask that a transition state be al
lowed the agricultural interests of
the country, to adjust themselves to
the new conditions of things. We ask
this for these reasons:
First-That the existence of con-
tract laborers is degrading, and con-
trary to the spirit of the laws and
policy of the United States.
Second-That we believe the agri-
cultural interests of the country
could be best served under the new
order of things by applying the prin-
ciple of cooperation; this will then
bring into the country a desirable
class of people, who will make homes
and develop the latent resources of
the country.
Third-That as nearly all lands are
now held in the hands of a few, and
are being held and will be held in
large tracts as long as a cheap class
of laborers are imported; but by eX-
Guiding them, and applying the prin-
ciple of cooperation the lands will
he divided into small holdings there
by benefitting the people and country
at large.
We pray that the laws relating to
piscatorial rights in the Hawaiian Is
lands be abolished.
We pray that the local flag of Ha-
waii, be the flag which we have been
accustomed to live under; such act
of courtesy will be most pleasing and
agreeable to the people of these Is
lands.
We pray that in the formation OF
our local government we be allowed to
make appropriations for EN-Queen
Liliuokalani, Princess Victoria Kaiu-
lani and Queen Dowager Kapiolani.
The memorial is signed by c. T.
Hopkins, chairman; d. L. Naone, John
f. Bush. Robert II. Baker, 5. X. Kane