The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
HAWAIIAN CITIZENSHIP.
A Problem Tint the Annexation Commits.
sioners Will Have to Solve.

A Problem Tint the Annexation Commits
sioners Will Have to Solve.
In half the troubles Of Hawaii. and it has had
its share since Capt. Cook masqueraded in the
feathers Of God Lono. thcre has been one catch
word. the rallying cry Of the element OF the
population making toward something better.
making successfully toward constitutional
monarchy. toward provisional government.
toward republic. toward being a part of the
American State sisterhood. 1t has been the
cry of citizenship.
The beachcomber. the runaway whaler of the
early days. did not care for citizenship. So
long as he had his share. or could grab his
share. OF the things which attracted him to the
Islands he was content to be called n subject Of
a savage monarch in a feather cloak. But
others settled who were less easily satisfied.
men who came from America as missionaries
of civilization. who brought the church. the
in every hamlet of unreclaimed savagery. They
had something to lose. some respect to main
any sort. having been born citizens. least Of all
could they be subjects OF any Kamehameha,
Sfi1i less or ro SP9e tba GHS con m : ff63ammmsSehIYiSSs d witb T.
neutral state in which the savage and the
beachcomber could legislate foolishly or wick
system Of denizenship;, The better. class re-
eiGn land; BY, becoming denizens Of Hawaii.
they acquired the right to a voice in its affairs
without casting of their rights as Americans.
DeniZens could vote. could hold office. The
real cause OF the Overturning Of Liliuokalani
denizens. TO force them to a dilemma choice.
either to. renounc their cherished American
citizenship or TO leave them with no voice in
affairs and helpless.
Now. the conditions being reversed. the Ha-
waiians themselves will become interested in
law stood on, the day before annexation was
accomplished, the Hawaiian could not become
a citizen OF the United States. because he was
not eligible under the Constitution-his race
barred him out. This was the decision Of the
Supreme Court OF Utah while II WAS still a Ter
ritOry. A male Hawaiian OF full age, satisfying
all the conditions of sufficient residence and
necessary familiarity with the principles Of the
Government, applied for papers of naturallza-
ton. He was rejected by the lower court to
which he made his application and on appealthe
decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.
That decision has TO stand unless overturned
by the Supreme Court Of the United States.
Constitution provides that citizenship may be
attained by white persons and those OF African
birth or descent; 10 others. The two courts
held that the Hawaiian wac not In any sense an
African, also not In any sense a white person.
The court did not undertake to settle Just what
settled on one thing. that this Hawaiian. and by
legal consequence every other Hawaiian, could
not become a citizen OF the United States.
On that question the HaWalianS, annexed but
not citiZenable. will demand to be heard. This
Is a thing the commissioners on annexation
solution, On one side Constitution and courts
Of law against civil rights: on the other. some
3 5000 citizens Of Hawaii by birth and race now
suddenly become citizens Of nowhere.