The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-03-17
present them in the general assem-


bly,"
Jumping a hundred years, we find
the same expectation Of ability to
set up a local government on the
basis OF universal suffrage, in the act
providing for the government OF
Oklahoma, Section 5 declares:
"That all male citizens Of the
United States above the age OF
twenty-one years, and all male per-
sons Of foreign birth over said age
who shall have twelve months prior
thereto declared their intention to
become citizens OF the United
States, as now required by law, who
are actual residents at the time OF
the passage Of this act ...........
shall be entitled to vote at the first
election in the territory"
Furthermore, there are in the
general provisions Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States re-
specting territories, sections which
would have to be repealed if such a
government of restricted suffrage as
now exists in Hawaii, and as would
have to be continued, were to be
made legal. Section 1859, for exam
pie, provides that
every male citizen above the age
Of twenty-one, including persons
who have legally declared their in
tention to become citizens in any
territory hereafter organized, and
who are actual residents Of such ter
ritory at the time of the organiza-
ton thereof, shall be entitled to
vote at the first election in such
territory, and to hold any Office
therein"
Here is the spirit and the letter Of
our territorial legislation, and what
would happen if it we're applied to
Hawaii The answer may be truth
fully given in the words Of that
ardent annexationist, w. N. Arm
strong of Honolulu, who, in explain
ing the present oligarchical system
in Hawaii, said:
at must be distinctly understood
that, besides ruling themselves, the
whites must create form Of gov
eminent through which they can
rule natives, Chinese, Japanese, and
Portuguese, in order to prevent be-
ing showed under That is, we
need two distinct forms OF govern
ment made up into one form; one
for ourselves and one for aliens, who
outnunlber u.s."
Suppose the Revised Statutes of
the United States were to govern
the first election in the territory of
Hawaii, what would happen? Why,
Mr.. Armstrong and his noble band
OF "whites" would be SHOWED I'M
der" 80 that. they could never be
dug out. Rule out the Chinese,
whom our courts have held ineligi-
BILE to citizenship, rule out the
Japanese, thought their eligi-
bility is yet pending in our courts;
enough outnumbering "aliens," as
Mr.. Armstrong elegantly calls the
men whose land he wishes to
steal away from them, would be
left to bury him in the drifts. The
Hawaians alone would snow him
under to the tune Of $4,000 to 5000;
the Portuguese could do it 5 to /; if
even the British and German resi-
dents OF the islands should combine,
they would vote down the 5000
Americans who are now proposing
to "rule" and extinguish the rights
and nationality of the other 100000.
In the face of such patent diff
culties, in the teeth of all our past
and presidents, how can it be main
tanned that it is wise to annex Ha-
waii and trust to luck to govern it
afterwards2 An act to govern is
vastly more critical than a treaty to
annex. 1t should be made a neces-
sary preliminary. Tell us what we
are going to do with the islands
after we get them, and then it will
be time to talk about getting them.
In default Of some complete and
Well-considered plan for governing n