The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-08
THE AMENDMENT
Minister Cooper Outlines Policy Of
the Executive.
THEY SUPPORT PRESENT OATH
Maintenance of Republican Form
of Government a Fundamen-
tai Principle.

The afternoon session of the House
of Representative yesterday was de-
voted chiefly to discussion on the pro-
posed amendment of Article 101 of the
Constitution. The amendment omits
that part of the oath not to encourage
or assist in the restoration or establish
ment of a Monarchial form of Govern
ment. Representative Loebenstein
was the principal speaker in support
of the amendment He maintained that
to the natives, and that were it omit
ted they would be willing to sub
scribe to it and thus secure better rep
resentation. Mr.. Loebenstein stated
that the amendment had the backing
of the American Union Party, and
threw upon the gauntlet by daring
the Executive to oppose the measure.
Minister Cooper said, on the proposed
amendment:
Mr.. Speaker:-The introduction of
this amendment to the fundamental
law Of the country is indeed matter
Of Importance, and on which it may
we'll be expected that the Government
should define its position. It has been
considered a question of so much i'm
portance that it has been freely dis
cussed in the Executive Council and
our position in regard to the matter
has been agreed to. While [ think
it is quite unanimous among us that
if it was a question whether or not
this condition should now be incorpor-
ated in the Constitution we would
stand as a unit as being opposed to
any such action, yet the trainers of
the Constitution saw fit to place that
provision to the fundamental law OF
the land; and it is there now as one of
the conditions of the right of franchise
in this country. The institution of the
Provisional Government carried with
it the conclusion that the monarchial
form of Government had disappeared
for all the time in this country Under
time it was quite proper that this quail
ification should be exacted from all
those who sought to be identified with
the Government. | was opposed per-
sonally to this condition being placed
in the Constitution at the time it was
framed; but nevertheless it is there,
and | feel that it would be a mistake
now to change that provision, princi-
pally as it would be misunderstood by
the friends of the Government as we'll
as the opponents of the Government.
believe it would be a sign to those
who have been watching our advance,
that we mad changed the fundamental
policy of the Government, if we should
now advocate a change in this provi-
sion. It is not a mere matter of SEN
timent, it is a matter of substance
and would probably carry with it, if
| the Executive should support this
amendment, the conviction that we nc
longer cared for the proposition OF
maintaining the Republic, and that ii
was matter of indifference to us
whether or not change was made
1t is likely that legal construction OF
this provision of the Constitution
would go so far as to prevent a man
! from making any effort to change the
| form Of Government, even by ballot
and this seems to be what is now
objected to- If it is of sufficient sub
stance to be repugnant on this ground
to those who have heretofore refused
to become identified with the Govern,
ment, then there is every reason tt
retain it in the Constitution. Tht
Constitution provides that all person!
born within it's jurisdiction or natural
lied are citizens thereof. 1t is sai(
that the provision now sought to bt
stricken from the Constitution is th'
only reason why many of our nativ,
born have declined to become identi
fed with the Government If this b.
true then there should be no modi
fcation of the Constitution at this tim
for fear of its being misunderstood
by them. For if there is one funda
mental principle of this Government i
is that a>Republican form Of govern
ment shall be maintained in this coun
try until the consummation of the on
grand object for the establishment O
the Government, that of annexation
to the United States of America. I
is on this ground that the Executiv
feel that it cannot support this amend
ment. 1t is not the purpose of tn
/ E,ynoI1fivo to ontnr into an ay+and o.