The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-02-17

come into any collision with the
whites.
The British Crown Colony system is
one which the United States cannot
well apply to Hawaii, for these rea-
sons tamong others): That the United
States has no Colonial Office. and that
the Americana European element in Ha-
wall has already been in control OF the
Government. Ii must also be remem-
bered that this element Is, on the
whole. personally respectable and %or-
thy however illegal the recent pro-
Icoedings Of the self-created government
may have BEEN that II has no III will
10 the natives, and that ii knows the
country, in which many of the Leading
families have been long settled.
II Is announced that bills have been
brought into Congress for establishing
form OF territorial government In the
Islands. ! have not seen these bills.
and In any case could not find space In
this letter for commenting on them.
But 1t is 10 be hoped, for the sake OF
the Islands, that the territorial govern
ment to be created will not follow the
| usual lines of the frames of govern
ment set up In territories on the Amer
lean continent. The American people
will certainly expect that the govern
ment TO be established in Hawaii shall
be pure and shall be just to all alike, l.
e., shall give full protection to the four
backward races of the isles. Now, IL 1t Is
to be pure, the territorial constitution
must not admit to the electoral suf-
frage a sufficient number OF the back
ward races to enable them to turn the
elections. II Is no kindness to thrust
upon men functions they are unit ia
perform. A Legislature controlled by
these four races, two OF them AsiatiC
strangers, and the Hawaiian natives
nowise politically superior, would be q
body either useless or mischievous
Probably, however, even II these races
held the mass Of the votes, the Legisla.
ture would practically come under
white control. But how? Most likely
by bribery. The man who doesn',
know how, or doesn't care, to use his
vote Is willing TO sell 1t. White pur.
chasers would be found. and the sys-
TEN thus created would demoralize the
advanced part OF the population with
!, out benefiting the backward part
while throwing the Legislature into
INSCRIPTIONS hands. All Englishmen
who know India and the crown col.
onies will say to Americans, Beware
OF extending the suffrage in Hawaii
Utterly opposed as 1t may be TO all
democratic doctrine that 5000 Amerl.
cans and Europeans, with perhaps a
small infusion of other races, should
legislate for 100000 Asiatics, Hawaii
ans and Portuguese. this is less evil
than that the 100000 should be grant
cd power to injure themselves, and the
Americans, and the Government rs a
whole. The principles OF the Declars-
ton OF Independence are a species oil
baggage which the American people
cannot carry with them into their
tropical dominions. In this matter
nature has been too strong for us Eng
fish. and she will be too strong for you.
But the conscience OF the American
people also desires that the Territorial
Government OF Hawaii should be Just
10 all races. and extend full protection
TO the weaker. How Is this TO be Sc
cured, especially II the vast majority
OF the weaker are excluded from the
suffrage? Several methods suggest
themselves by which the difficulty may
be reduced, II not quite overcome, In
che first place. full private rights OF
citizenship, as distinguished from po.
litical rights. would be secured to the
members OF all races alike. with free
access to all courts OF law. Secondly
special officers might be appointed "a
look after the interests OF the back