Evening star., 1898-12-07
Governmental Novelties for Hawaii.

The form of government proposed Tor the
territory of Hawaii by the commission
whose report has just been presented fol-
lows in the main, the principles Whlch ufl-
derlie the processes employed in the state
and territorial governments of the main
land. There are however some features "1
divergence which will commend themselves
to the close attention of all citizens OF the
republic as worthy of study in their actuai
operations. These relate particularly to the
method of choosing members of the terri
torial legislature. which is to be composed
of fifteen senators and thirty representa-
tiyes In the election of the latter, who
are apportioned among six districts, each
voter will have as many votes as there are
representatives to be chosen from the dis
trict wherein he resides. For instance, a
resident of the city of Honolulu. which,
with the Island of Oahu, is divided into
two districts with six representatives from
each, will cast six votes. These he may
cast singly for six different candidates or
he may cast them all for one. thus concen-
trating his electoral force upon sinS.e
candidate whom he particularly desires %
have seated. This is a decided novelty in
the suffrage. and its workings will be IN
teresting In the voting for senators, how
senator to be elected from the district in
which he votes. The bill framed does
not specify that the votes can he concen-
trated as in the case of representatives.
The educationa qualification is applied in
the voting for legislative candidates, each
elector beng obliged in addition to the
usual qualifications to be able to speak.
read and write understandIngly either the
English or Hawaiian language. Voters for
senator must a!so own al least $1,000 worth
of real property in the territory, or shall
have actually received money income of
not less than $3.50 during the year preced-
ing the election. Thus in the Sena torial
elections there is both an educational and
a property qualification, restricting the suf
frage for the higher legislative office to
narrower limits than though the system in
vogue on the mainland were adopted. The
property qualification extends also to the
membership of the Legislature. the senators
being required to have property TO the
value of $1,000 a money income of $1,000.
these requirements being halved in the
case of the representatives. Naturally the
effect of these restrictions is to exclude
the poorer people from the legislature.
The legislature so elected is to pass laws
of exclusively local application which do
not conflict with the provisions of the Con
stitution or of the general laws of the
Union.
Mr.. Dole, former President of Hawaii,
demurs at the power granted to the gov
ernor in tn" proposed bill. claiming that
under its terms he viii have authority
yergng upon that which, abused by the
former kings and queens of the islands,
caused such trouble for the progressive
citizens. II g points TO the danger OF an un-
limited power OF removal and TO the cnanc-
that the governor may abuse the power Of
making recess appointments. 1t Is wei
that MIR. Does views have been set forth,
though II Is not likely that many Will snare
his pessImiStic apprehension. He uoes not
seem to rely sufficiently upon the restrain
ing power of the President. 1t Is advIsab e.
however, that some attention be paid early
to the item of home rule. AS the bill now
stands there is nothing to guarantee aga4nsL
the appointment as governor and secretary
of the territory of men from outside the
islands. The bill stipu.ates that these Off
ciais shall reside within the territory"
but 1t does not require that they shall be
residents of the Is .andS when appointed.
The provision that they shall reside within
the territory seems at first reading to
mean oniy that these oInciaIs snail reside
therein during their incumbency. Hawaii
ans Will doubtless protest vigorously against
any form of carpetbagism. and on this
point an Interesting controversy may arise.
The feminine lobbyist is a favorite figure