The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-03-18
THE ROUSE sTRskE> ! SNAG,

THE ROUSE >TR5hEN \ SNAU-
The organ OF the House, edited by
one Of lis members. accused Us OF be
lifting the House" Let Us see il the
House has not beIittled itself. When
he giant IN the fairy story reduces
himself down every day towards the
stature Of a dwarf does he not belittle
himself
The House passed Z resolutiOn-in-
s-ruc5fng the Executive, which includes
he Attorney General IN its duties in
the matter Of the endorsement OF war
rants Of arrest issued by magistrates.
The Statesmen Of the House were quite
100 clever 10 permit the resolution to
go TO the Senate. So it is passed with
ont the concurrence Of the Senate, and
was fred of al the Executive
If the House has no power TO pass
zuch 2 resolution. then it has simply
made an ass Of itself. and tried
blur on the Executive.
Article 80 Of the Constitution reads;
The Legislature has the power to en-
act wholesome laws, not inconsistent
with this Constitution"
The Legislature consists Of the
House and the Senate That's plain
enough. and under the Constitution,
that is all it can do. \ law must be
passed by both branches. That's plain
TOO.
And the Legislature under this arti-
Gle can only make wholesome laws
and nothing more. Is that not plain
enough?
And if the House attempts TO do any
thing besides passing Of wholesome
laws, with the concurrence Of the Sen
ate, It attempts TO do something that is
unauthorized by the Constitution. Is
not plain?
Then if the House attempts 10 "ad-
vise7 the Executive. or suggest"
something TO the Executive, it does so
without any authority. under the Con
stitution; because the Constitution
holds its whip over the House, and
tells 1t that all il can do is to pass, with
the Senate, wholesome laws" Now
good advice" and instructions" are
not wholesome laws.
Now if the House can instruct" or
advise the Executive about It's duty in
The matter Of warrants, it can pass a
hundred resolutions instructing IT on
other matters. and it can also instruct
OF advise the judiciary. and in this way
run things generally"
In the meantime the poor old Senate
is side tracked, and is left to watch the
House run things.
The way 70 interpret the Constitu-
ton IS 10 read It as it is written, and
not as one wishes that It was written
That instrument simply says the Leg
fsIaure may pass wholesome laws"
Now if the House wishes 10 instruct
the Government in its duty, let II at
one. propose an amendment to the
Constitution to this effect: The Leg
islature has the power to enact whole
some laws. and the House NAV. with
out the concurrence Of the Senate in
sruct and advise and Department Of
the Government"
The House. in passing q resolution
not authorized By any provision of the
Constitution, virtually and in effect
says: Damn the Constitution"
The truth is, We believe, that the
cute Oahu members of the House, find
ing themselves shut in by the Constitu-
ton, which requires joint action by the
Senate, determined to "dig out" just as
prisoners dig cut tunnels under the
prison walls. and get away from re-
sraint. So this resolution Of the House
was q dig OUT under the constitutions
al wall, in order to escape the restraint
Of the Senate. Suddenly the Executive
appears as policeman x and says
where are you at?" and takes them
before the Senate that will wink its
weather eye at them, and whisper
quite too smart, Ell? thought you
would escape form the Constitution? p"
But We shall have some curiosities Of
legal literature before the session IL
over if the House works out It's own
ideas Of law.
SENsTOR N'CANDLESS "HEADERS''