The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-07
the legislature of Hawaii. or by con

the legislature of Hawaii, or by con-
gress.
The laws of Hawaii relating to public
or government lands continue in force
until changed by congress, but no leas-
es of agricultural lands are to be grant
ed, sold or renewed for a, longer term
than five years, unless congress shall di-
rect.
The laws of Hawaii relating to agri-
culture and forestry are continued in
force, except 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 re-
porting thereon to the president.
The bill also provides that the con-
stitution and laws of the United States
locally applicable, shall have the same
force and effect in the territory of Ha-
wall, as elsewhere in the United States.
This is the usual provision found in
the acts of congress providing for the
establishment of territorial govern
ments in the United States, but the
commissioners regard the provision as
exceptionally important in this bill for
many reasons, among which they men
ton the continued Importation of cOOlie
labor into Hawaii. Remarking upon
this point they say: 1T has been the
policy of the government of Hawaii be-
fore and since the establishment of the
republic, to import men under labor
contracts for a term Of years, at the
expiration of which they are to return
to the countries from which they came.
Those brought in are mainly from
China and Japan.
Since the act of congress annexing
Hawaii, the Hawaiian sugar planters
have seemed to be making an unusual
effort in securing the importation of
japanese 1abOrerS, fearing trouble and
embarrassment on account of INSULT
cient labor for the care and carrying
on of their sugar plantations. OF course
it becomes necessary to extend our
Ia hnT lou hn iG1n md co n
prohibit all kinds of foreign contract
labor from coming to TIE territory first
because it. is the policy of this country
to keep out all kinds of cheap foreign
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 manu-
featured goods produced by cheap alien
labor. The general laws of the United
States will place the people of the terri
tory on the same footing with the peO-
pie of the states and of other territories
of the United States in regard tofOreign
labor.
1.-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 trial and some of them believe
it viii prove superior to the labor of
either Chinese or japanese"
The commissioners take pains to ex-
press their united opinion that the plan
outlined for the government of Hawaii
can not be regarded as a precedent for
Porto Rico and the Philippines, saying
on this point: ''Much has been said to
the effect that the policy or scheme of
government for the Hawaiian islands
will be taken and accepted as an index,
or precedent to be followed in the plan
of government for Porto Rico and the
Philippines. In view of this apparent
expectation, or belief on the part of
many good people in the United States,
the commission deem it proper to say
that the people Of Hawaii are capable
of self-g: overnment and have proven
this by the establishment of the repub-
lie of Hawaii and the adoption of a con-
stitution and code of laws which will
compare favorably with these of any
other government and under such con-
stitution and laws have maintained a
stable government for several years,
worthy of a free people The people of
those islands are more or less familiar
with the institutions and laws of the
United States, while the laws of the
little republic are largely taken from
the laws of this country. 1t can not
be said that either the Porto Ricans,
or the Philippines are at all familiar
with our system of government or
with any other based on the principles
of liberty. The underlying theory of our
government is the right of self-govern-
ment.''