The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-07


delegate to possess the same powers and
privileges now accorded to other delegates
in Congress.
The Governor is to appoint chief justice
and two associate justices of the Supreme
Court, the judges of the Circuit Court, the
members of the Board of Health, commits
soners Of public instruction, prison inspec-
tors, boards of registration inspectors of
elections and other public boards that may
be created by law, and all officers whose
salaries exceed 5000 per annum.
Other provisions of the bill are as follows:
The Governor is to possess the veto power
but his veto may be overrdden by a two
thirds vote of both houses of the Legisla-
ture.
The Legislature is authorized to create
town, city or county municipalities.
Foreign goods and articles imported into
the islands after July II, 1895. are. if after
wards brought into the United States, to
pay the same duties charged upon like
articles when imported from any foreign
country. The existing laws of Hawaii, not
inconsistent with the Constitution and laws
of the United States or this act, continue in
force, subject to repeal or amendment by
the Legislature Of Hawaii or by Congress.
The laws of Hawaii relating to public or
government lands continue in force until
changed by Congress, but no leases of agri-
cultural lands are to be granted, sold or
renewed for a longer term than five years,
unless Congress shall direct.
The laws of Hawaii relating to agriculture
and forestry are continued in force, ex-
cept as they may be modified by Congress
or the Legislature, and the secretary Of
agriculture is charged with the duties of
examining the laws of Hawaii relating to
agriculture, forestry. public lands and public
roads and reporting thereon to the Presi-
dent
The bill also provides that the Constitution
and laws of the United States locally APP
plicable shall have the same force and
effect in the'Territory of Hawaii as else
where in the United States.
COOLIE LABOR.
This is the usual provision found in the
acts Of Congress providing for the establish
ment of territorial governments in the
United States, but the commissioners regard
the provision as exceptionally important in
this bill for many reasons, among which
they mention the continued importation of
coolie labor into Hawaii Remarking upon
this point they say: "It has been the policy
of the government of Hawaii, before and
import men under labor contracts for
term of years, at the expiration of which
they are to return to the country from
which they came. Those brought in are
mainly from China and Japan. Since the
act of Congress annexing Hawaii was passed
prohibiting Chinese immigration the Ha-
waiian sugar planters have seemed to be
making an unusual effort in securing the
importation Of Japanese laborers, fearing
trouble and embarrassment on account of
insufficient labor for the care and carrying
on of their sugar plantations. OF course, it
becomes necessary to extend our labor laws
over the islands, so as to prohibit all kinds
of foreign labor from coming to the terri
tory, first, because it is the policy of this
country to keep out all kinds Of cheap for
eign labor, including coolie labor, and there
| by prevent such labor from interfering with
the wages of American labor, and, secondly,
to protect our manufactured products from
competition with manufactured goods pro-
duced by cheap alien labor. The general
laws Of the United States will place the
people Of the territory on the same foot
ing with the people of the States and of
other Territories of the United States in re-
gard to foreign labor The question whether
white labor can profitably be utilized in the
sugar plantations is yet a problem; but the
planters are preparing to give such labor a
trial, and some of them believe it will prove
superior to the labor of either Chinese or
Japanese"
The commissioners take pains to express.
their united opinion that the plan outlined
for the government of Hawaii cannot be
regarded as precedent for Porto Rico and
the Philippines.
nor EyC npTECurTONr
The report is unanimous except upon one
point, on which President Dole makes mi
nority recommendation. This recommended
ton is for board of advisors to the gov
ernor Of the territory, and he recommends
that the treasurer, attorney general, super
intendent of public works and the commits
sioner Of public lands shall be constituted
special counselors of the governor, to be
consulted by him concerning all matters of
public policy Mr.. Dole gives as his reason
for this recommendation the fear that with
out some such provision the governor NAV
arrogate to himself greater power than is
contemplated.
OF the other two bills one relates to Ha-
waiian silver certificates and treasury notes.
and the other to the postal savings banks in
Hawaii.
The report contains an inventory of the
public property of the republic which now
inures to the United States, which is of an
estimated value Of S1O4s,74O, distributed as
follows: Government public lands
$41f,7OO government lots sites etc.
$1,41,S0O; department property. 81, 7s9. 24O
The report gives considerable data in re-
gard to duties collected, showing that under
the D1ngley bill the amount would have
been much greater than 1t was. This COM
par1son shows that the collection for 1897
which was $54S 4S3. would have been under
the American law 1902. T06. The report recon-
mends the construction of a cable to the
Islands TO be under the control of the United
States, which. it says. is demanded by the
military condition existing or liable to exist
at any time.
Speaking of the character OF the popu-
lation of the island, and referring especially
to the recommendation for comforting citi-
zenship upon the Portuguese, and failing to
confer 1t upon the Chinese and Japanese, the
| report says: THE Americans, although in
such small minority. practically dominate
the governmental affairs of the country, and
with the British and Germans and part blood
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. together. constitute
the controlling element in the business The
Chinese and Japanese do not now possess
political power. nor have they any important
relation to the body polite, except as labor
ers. The Portuguese are largely immigrants
from the islands and colonies or Portugal
in the Atlantic, and have never been very
closely tied to their mother country. With
the certain attTiti0n which is bound to ex-
| list between them and the Americans in
Hawaii and under the influence OF the e<-
listing public school system which makes
the study of the English language compul-
| of people for the growth of republican
ideas"