The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-07
GOVERNMENT OF HAWAII
President Transmits to Congress
the Commissions Report.
WILL BECOME A TERRITORY
Provisions Made for the Establishment OF
Legislative. judicial and Executive
Branches-Defining Citizenship.
Other Details


to-day transmitted to congress the re-
port of the Hawaiian commission, to-
gether with the text OF bills drawn by
the commission for the government of
the islands as a part of the United
States.
Three bills are formulated for con-
sideration of congress. The first and
principal one outlines the general plan
Of government and the other two deal
with subordinate questions. The main
bill provides for the erection of the
islands into a territory of the United
States, to be styled. the territory Of
Hawaii. The bill contains provisions
for government of the territory, giving
IL Legislative, executive and judicial
officers. The governor, secretary of ter
ritory, United States district Judge,
United States district attorney and
United States marshal are to be ap-
pointed by the president, and an in
ternal revenue district and customs dis
trict are created. The Offices of presl-
dent. minister for foreign affairs.
finance. public instruction. auditor gen.
eral. deputy auditor general, surveyor
general and marshal are abolished. OFF,
GERS of the territory under the new
tendent of public works. superintendent
Of public instruction, auditor and dep
uty auditor. surveyor, treasurer and
chief sheriff to succeed to the duties of
marshal of the republic, all to be ap-
pointed by the governor.
Probably the 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
race on either paternal or maternal side
who were citizens of the republic of
Hawaii Immediately prior to the trans
fer of sovereignty thereof to the Unit
ed States. are hereby declared citizens
of the United States"
Provision is made for legislature to
consist of two houses, the senate to
consist of Is members and the house OF
representatives to consist Of 30 men,
bcrr. The members are to be elected
by general election. Sessions of the leg
inslature are limited TO go days.
Five registration districts are pro-
vided and the governor of the territory
is authorized to appoint registration
boards with the advice of the senate.
The bill also provides for the election
of delegate to the house of represen-
tatives in congress. this delegate to pos
sess the same powers and privileges now
The governor is to appoint a chief jus
tice and two associate justices of the
supreme court. the judges of the cir
cult court, members of the board OF
health, commissioners of public in
struction. prison inspectors, boards of
registration, inspectors of election and
other public officers that may be created
by law and all officers whose salaries
exceed $1,000 per annum.
Other provisions are as follows: The
governor Is to possess a veto poyer, but
his veto may be overridden by a two
thirds vote of both houses of the legis-
lature. The legislature Is authorized to
create town, city or county municipali-
ties.
Foreign goods and articles imported
into the islands after July Z, 1898, are.
~ afterwards brought into the United
States, to pay the same duty charged
upon the articles when imported from
any foreign country.
The existing laws of Hawaii. not in
consistent with the constitution and
laws of the United States, or this act,
continue i'm force. subject to repeal or
amendment by the legislature OF Ha-
wall or by congress. The laws of Ha-
wall relating to public or government
lands continue in force until changed
by congress. Laws relating to agricul-
ture and forestry are continued in
force.
The bill also provides that the con-
stitution and laws of this locality. ap-
plicable, shall have the same force and
effect in the Territory of Hawaii as
elsewhere i'm the United States. This
is the usual provision found in the acts
of congress providing for the estab-
lishment of territorial governments in
the United States. but the commission
ers regard the provision as exception
ally important in this bill for many
reasons, among which they mention the
continued importation of Chinese labor
into Hawaii. Remarking upon this
point, they say:
1T has been the policy OF the gov
ernment of Hawaii. before and since
the establishment Of the republic, to i'm
port men under labor contracts for
term of years. at the expiration of
which they are to return to the coun-
tries from which they came. Those
brought in are mainly from China and
Japan. Since the act annexing Hawaii
was passed prohibiting Chinese immi-
grafton, Hawaiian sugar planters have
seemed to be making an unusual effort
in securing the importation of japanese
laborers, fearing trouble on account of
insufficient labor for the care and car
rying on of their sugar plantations.
OF course IL becomes necessary 20 ex-
tend our labor laws over the islands.
so as to prohibit all kinds of foreign
contract laDor from coming into the
territory: first. because IL is the policy
Of this country TO keep out all kinds
of cheap foreign labor, including coolie
labor. and thereby prevent such labor
from interfering with the wages Of
American labor: and. second. to protect
our manufactured products from COM
petition with manufactured goods made
by cheap alien labor. The general laws
of the United States will place the peo-
pie Of the territory on the same foot
ing as the people OF the states and
other territories of the United States I'm
regard TO foreign labor. The question
whether white labor can profitably be
utilized in the sugar plantations is yet
a problem. but the planters are pre-
pairing to give such labor a trial. and
some Of them believe IL will prove su-
perior 20 the labor of either Chinese or
japanese"
The commissioners take pains to ex-
press their united opinion that the plan