The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-09-12

THE DELEGATION BEFORE THE
COMMISSION TODAY.
Portuguese Want Statehood, the
Franchise of 1887 Abolition of Con-
tract Labor, Equal Taxation, Etc.

At 10 o'clock this morning the An
neXation Commissioners received j.
NJ. Nivas, NJ. \. Gonsalves and j. NJ
Camara, Jr., as a delegation from the
Portuguese colony in hawaii, who pre-
sented u long memorial, the pream-
bic of which states that there are
over $4,000 Portuguese in Hawaii,
comprising the largest European col
ony here, that they are willing to be-
come naturalized citizens, that they
have always aided in maintaining
good government, that although 30
per cent of their numebrs are Roman
Catholics, they have no religious pre-
judices or antagonisms, that they
have the smallest percentage of Grim
inal records and the largest number
of small farms, and have always been
opposed to contract labor and that
they consider they are entitled to the
same rights and privileges accruing
to Portuguese residing elsewhere in
the United States. For these and 9TH
er reasons the Portuguese citizens of
Honolulu, in mass meeting, and repre-
senting the colony in Hawaii in its en-
tirety have resolved:
First-That it is the colony's earn
est and sincere desire that Hawaii be
annexed as a state of the Union, and
if that be impracticable, then at leas;
as a territory.
Second-That the honorable COM
mission appointed under the Newlands
resolution do recommend such a step.
taking into consideration the import
ance of the Islands to the United
States.
Third-That the franchise enjoyed
by the people of Hawaii under the
constitution of 1887 be granted to the
people now residing here or who may
come hereafter under similar condi-
tions and with identical qualifications.
Fourth-That contract labor be en-
tirely abolished, as it is system not
only repugnant to free institutions,
but as a well known fact is clearly in
contradiction to the principles of the
American constitution as it stands TO-
day.
Fifth-That in case of the anneXa-
| tion of Hawaii as a territory that the
Congress of the United States protect
the rights and privileges of all the
citizens of the civilized races now re-
siding in the Hawaiian Islands or that
may hereafter become such residents
by adopting such laws as will:
e(a) Establish an equal taxation so
as to enable the people of small means
to obtain farms according to their
desire;
(b) Establish free schools so as to
enable the middle and poorer classes
to give their children a higher educa-
tion than they are able to do at pres
ent;
(c) That all laws and regulations
that may from time to time be adopt
ed by the United States in regard to
Asiatics be carried into effect also in
the territory of Hawaii;;
! (d) That the present judiciary sys-
TEN of the Hawaiian Islands be con
tinued as far as practicable, so as to
enable the poorer classes to have their
litigation settled by the local courts
of justice without the necessity OF
any appeal to any court outside of the
territory;
(e) That the present hospital tan
be either abolished or dedicated tC
the use of hospitals only in which
free medical treatment and mainte
nance is provided for the sick poor ot
all residents, irrespective of national
ity or creed.
The committee were before the
Commission for three-quarters of ar
hour, during which many questions
directed mainly to the subjects of the
franchise, contract labor and small
farming, were put by the Commits
| sionerS.