The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-12-08
DAMON MATTER
What it Suggested to the
President. o.
The Present State Of AsSaIes Can.
not be Continued Much Long
sr Wwh safety.

Washington Star:
The President has refused to accept
the resignation Of Mr.. Damon. the Ha-
waiian minister of finance, and that
ofYicial will remain In office, at least
until such time as Congress provides
for q different system OF government
for the Hawaiian Islands.
Mr.. Oalnpn's resignation was tend
cred while he was in Italy seeking to
secure the emigration to Hawaii OF
Italian laborers, who are wanted on the
islands. This pursuit was IN the ineer-
est Of an organization OF planters and
capitalists, and 1t was thought TO be
scarcely fitting that the minister OF
finance should engage In such outside
matters. The resignation was tender
ed under those conditions, but as Mr..
Damon has since terminated the con-
nection between himself and the or
ganization referred to the reason for
its acceptance at once disappeared and
he vii. continue In office.
NEED FOR REMEDIAL LEGISLA-
TION.
That is only one of many recent
happenings that has served TO
strengthen the President in the belief
that the present state OF affairs In
Hawaii cannot be continued much
longer without results disastrous to
the material interests OF the islands.
There have also been complications IN
connection with the disposition of the
crown lands, and altogether it Is DEEM
ed necessary that Congress proceed at
once upon reassembling to deal with
the problem of supplying permanent
form Of government for the islands to
replace the present nondescript insti-
ton.
ThE JUDICIARY.
One consideration alone that is re-
garded as sufficient In weight to de-
mand the most earnest consideration,
and at the earliest possible moment,
too, Is the indefinite status of the Ha-
waiian judiciary. In ordinary cases
involving only property or even i'm
prisonment this would be a matter of
gravity. hut when. as has happened
recently. human life Is involved 1t is
felt that the stakes are too large TO
warrant reckless persistency In the
presen. course. The difficulty in these
cases lies in radical difference be-
tween the Hawaiian and the United
States laws, and although Hawaii has
been by act of Congress declared part
of the United States. yet the jurisdic-
ton Of the United States Supreme
Court over the islands has been denied
STATUS OF OFFICIALS UNDE-
The status of the officials on the ISL
ands is also uncomfortably indefinite
even where those officers are connected
directly with the local government.
The la.ter officials owe a divided alleg-
lance to President Mckinley and Ia
President Dole. which is not regarded
as sound practice. In the case of the
United States officials Mr.. Sewall
formerly United States minister to
Hawaii. is now rated as special
agent" of the State Department. in
order TO carry him along until Con-
gress otherwise provides. But 1t Is
doubtful IL Mr.. Sewall himself has a
clear conception of his functions. Ger
tain 1t is that there has been more or
less conflict of jurisdiction between
himself and Mr.. Haywood, who is still
ranked as consul general Of the United
States, an anomalous Office in view OF
the fact of annexation.
In his case there is said to be the
necessity of continuing the Office, be-
cause under present conditions there
ia no oaher way to regulate the exten.
sive trade between the islands and the
Pacific coast. Some one must issue
papers to ships and certify TO CONNER.
cial papers until the United States
tariff system goes into effect In Hawaii
and treasury officials replace the ex.
listing force OF local officials.
TROUBLE FROM IMMIGRATION
The immigration question has also
been q source Of trouble, and until Otl
own laws are applied In their entirety
there Ia at all times danger OF compli.
cations with foreign powers resulting
from the application OF the local laws
All OF these considerations have had
their effect not only upon our own ad.
ministration. but also upon the officia
class in Hawaii. and the latter, weary
ing OF the frequent points OF contact
with the superior forces In America
have. like Mr.. Damon, been at frequent
intervals since annexation on the