The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-07
CITIZENSHIP CONFERRED
WHITES, AFRICANS AND HAWA-
HANS BECOME CITIZENS.
Property and Educational Qualifca-
tons For Voters-Provision For
Executive, Legislative and Ju-
dicial oficers-Governor to Be
Appointed By the President.

representative Hit, President Dole |
ana Judge Frear of Hawaii, together |
with the text OF the bills drawn by the |
commission for the government of the |
ISLANDS as part Of the United States. |
The preliminary part of the report is |
mainly descriptive of the Hawaiian |
Islands, the Inhabitants, the existing |
Institutions, the public domain, pro-
duction, climate. harbors and shipping |
facilities, and various conditions OF
general interest. The remaining por-
ton is mainly devoted 10 the discussion |
OF the legislation proposed by the COM
sion, giving in the appendix the vari-
Gus reports of subcommittee and cop
les OF the bills suggested.
Three bills are formulated for the
consideration of congress. The first
and principal one outlines a general
plan of government, and the other two
deal With subordinate questions. Of
the main bill, the commissioners eX-
press the. opinion that it will prove to
be such a measure for the government
of the Hawaiian islands as will best
promote the interests of their people at
the same time as il promotes the inter
ests ana maintains the sovereignty of
the people of the United States"
1t provides for the erection of the
islands into a territory of the United
States. to be styled the territory of
Hawaii. The bin contains provisions
for the government of the territory,
giving it legislative, executive and
Judicial officers. A governor, a secSe-
tarS~ of the territory. United states
district Judge, a United States district
attorney and a United States marshal
are to be appointed by the president
and an internal revenue district and
customs district are created. The
Offices of president, minister for foreign
affairs, finance, public instruction,
auditor general, deputy auditor gen.
eraI. surveyor general and marshal are
abolished.
The officers of the territory under
the new regime are an attorney gem
eral, with similar power and duties as
now possessed by the attorney general
of the republic of Hawaii, with a few
exceptions; a treasurer, with similar
powers and duties to the present min
lister of finance, and such powers and
duties regarding licenses, corporations
and companies and partnerships and
registration of prints, labels and trade
marks as are now possessed by the
minister of the interior, except as
changed: also a superintendent of pub
lie works, a superintendent of public
instruction, an auditor and a deputy
auditor; a. surveyor, with the powers
and duties of a surveyor general, and
chief sheriff. to succeed to the duties
of marshal of the republic, all to be
appointed by the governor.
CITIZENSHIP DEFINED.
Probably ehe most important, portion
of the bill is section 4, defining citizen
ship, which provides that "All white
persons, including Portuguese and per-
sons Of African descent, and all per-
sons descending from the Hawaiian
al nj
side, who were citizens of the republic
of Hawaii Immediately prior to the
transfer of sovereignty thereof to the
United States, are hereby declared to
be citizens of the United States
Provision is made for a legislature,
to consist of two houses. a senate, to
consist of fifteen members, as at pres
ent. and a house of representatives,
consisting of thirty members, double
Hawaiian republic. The members are
to be elected at a general election. to
be held on the Tuesday after the first
Monday IL November, 1899, and bien-
nially thereafter. The supreme court
is to he the sole judge of the legality
of election to a seat in each house in
case of contest No member of the
legislature is to be eligible for appoint
merit or election to any Office of the
territory, and no officer or employee,
notary public or agent of the territory
is to be eligible to election as a legis-
lator. There is also a provision that no
person who, having been entitled to
qualify and vote prior to October, 1897,
and since July, 1894. failed to register
as such voter. shall have a vote, unless
he shall take an oath to support the
constitution of the United States. The
sessions of the legislature are limited
to sixty days in duration, and each
member is allowed $500 as salary and
10 cents mile for travelling expenses.
A senator is required to be a male
citizen Of the United States, so years Of
age. to have resided in the territory
three years, be the owner Of his own
right Of $1,000 worth of property, or to
have during the preceding year re-
ceived $1,000 income.
Representatives must be % years of
age male citizens, must have lived
three years in Hawaii, and must own
property or have an income of $3.50 a
year.
Voters for representative are required
to be male citizens. p years of age, and
of one years residence in the territory.
to have registered, to have paid all
taxes due the government, and to be
able TO understandings to speak, read
and write the English or Hawaiian Ian
guage"
To be qualified to vote for senators a
person must possess all the qualifica-
tions and be subject to all the condi-
tons required of voters for representa-
tives. and in addition own, in his own
right, real property worth $1,000, upon
which valuation legal taxes shall have
been paid for the year preceding that
in which he offers to register. or shall
have received q money income of not
less than $500 during the previous year.
Five registration districts are pro-
Vided and the governor of the territory
is authorized to appoint registration
boards. with the advice OF the senate.
DELEGATE TO CONGRESS.
The bill also provides for the cleo
ton of a delegate to the house of rep
resentatives in congress by the voters
qualified to vote for representatives in
the LEGISLATURE this delegate to possess
the same powers and privileges now
accorded to other delegates in congress.
The governor is to appoint a chief
Justice and two associate justices of the
supreme court. the judges of the circuit
court. the members Of the board Of
health. commissioners of public instruc-
ton. prison inspectors, boards of regis
tration. inspectors of election and other
public boards that may be created by
law. and all officers whose salaries
exceed $1,000 per anhum.
Other provisions of the report is as
follows:
The governor is to possess the veto
power, but his veto may be overridden
by two-thirds vote of both houses Of
the legislature.
The legislature is authorized to Gre
ate town, city or county municipalities.
Foreign goods and articles imported
into the islands after July Z, 1898, are,
e afte,.,,-a ..ls lninl1Zht into the IInitad