The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-24
THE HAWAIIAN COMMISSION.
Scope of the Report 1t VIII Present to
Congress Next Month

WASHINGTON. Nov. 23-The commission
appointed by the President to recommend a
form of government for the Hawaiian ISL
ands as part of the United States met in
Senator Cullom's committee room at the
Capitol to-day for the first time since leay-
ing Honolulu, Senators Cullom and Morgan.
Representative Hit and Judge Frear being
present The meeting was devoted to dis
eussing details of the bill and report which
the commission will present to Congress.
which had not been fully decided upon at
the last meeting. The report has not been
completed, but the commission has decided
upon its important features. One of these
IS recommendation that the system of inn
porting laborers under contract shall be
discontinued. The commissioners have CON
cluded that as the system is contrary To
the laws applying to this country as a
whole 1t would not be wise to continue it
STOOD mat a majority at least of the men,
pers OF the commission do not accept the
lneory That Americans and Europeans can
di0l 90 manual labor in the islands
The commission will recommend a regular
territorial form of government, with gov
efnor, delegate in Congress and a Leeis-
lature. The Legislature will be elected bv
the qualified voters of the island. but there
VIII be property and education qualifications
imposed on those who vote for members of
the upper house OF the Legislature The
franchise will not be extended 70 tha
Japanese or Chinese in the islands but the
Iortuguese who become citizens will not be
excluded under the restrictions imposed
fne commission will present full details
OF the value of property ACQUIRED the in
come from tariff taxes and other important
lacts bearing upon the government of the
Islands. They estimate that the pronertv
secured 10 the United States will amount
20 more than $00O00O0. The public lands
atone are believed to be worth about s. 900
W. The report viii be presented to CON
Sress soon after it convenes
MI Justice Frear, one of the Hawaiian
commissioners and also a member of the
supreme Court OF Hawaii said this after
3a}, III answer TO question as TO the So
iuelon or the coOlie labor problem in Hawaii.,
nder the present law coolie labor can he
imported. Our people. If left to their own
cEolcS. would prefer to continue this svs-
lem but we will not hesitate To give If 'u,
II required. We realize that the STABILITY
81 government Will be so largely increas ed
under annexation that we could AFFORD 10
aIaehd our labor laws and sacrifice chean
laOof AS matter of fact, our planters
are now starting in to make a serious ar
Tempt 70 introduce white laborers Some
nave already been brought i'm from Cali
lorna. and II is believed the experiment will
succeed The notion seem to prevail IL,
some quarters that white men cannot work
IN the tropics. Ii must be remembered
however, that there are differences i'm from
OF the tropics. Furthermore, the islands are
tempered by cool ocean current. which re-
duces the temperature 10 degrees below that
OF other countries in the same latitude A
great proportion of the best coffee lands are
located IN a very temperate zone