The evening times., 1899-12-05
OUR HAWAIIAN POSSESSIONS.
a Comprehensive scheme of Govern
ment.

i
| ment.
Some embarrassment in administration
4 has occurred by reason of the peculiar
| status which the Hawaiian Islands at pres
1 ent occupy under the joint resolution Of
annexation approved July .. 1885 While
! by that resolution the Republic of Hawaii
/ as an independent nation was extinguished,
/ its separate sovereignty destroyed. and its
! property and possessions vested in the
| United States yet a complete establish-
\ ment for its government under our system
| was not effected. While the municipal
laws of the islands not enacted for the
fulfillment of treaties and not inconsistent
with the joint resolution or contrary 10 the
Constitution of the United States or any
OF its treaties remain in force. yet these
laws relate only TO the social and internal
affairs Of the islands, and do not touch
many subjects of Importance which are OF
a broader national character. For exam
ple the Hawaiian Republic was divested
of all title to the public lands in the isl
ands, and is not only unable to dispose OF
lands to settlers desiring TO take up home
stead Sites but is without power TO give
complete title in cases where lands have
been entered upon under lease or other
conditions which carry with them the
right to the purchaser. lessee. or settler TO
have a full title granted to him upon COM
pliance with the conditions prescribed by
law or by his particular agreement of en-
try.
Questions of doubt and difficulty have also
arisen with reference 10 the collection OF
tonnage tax on vessels coming from Ha-
waiian ports;, with reference TO the status
of Chinese in the islands, their entrance
and exit therefrom; as 10 patents and copy
rights; as TO the register of vessels under
the navigation laws: as to the necessity
of holding elections in accordance with the
provisions of the Hawaiian statutes for tho
choice of various officers. and as to several
other matters OF detail touching the inter-
ests both of the island and of the Federal
Government.
By the resolution of annexation the Presi-
dent was directed to appoint five commits
sioners 10 recommend TO Congress such leg
isla;ion concerning the islands as they
should deem necessary or proper. These
commissioners were duly appointed and
after careful investigation and study OF
the system Of laws and government prevail
ing in the islands, and of the conditions
existing there. they prepared bill to pro-
vide a government under the title OF The
Territory of Hawaii" The report OF tbs
Commission, with the bill which they pre-
pared. was transmitted by me TO Congress
on December 6, 1885. but the bill still awaits
final action.
Alaska and Porto Rico.
The people of these islands are entitled
to the benefits and privileges of our Con-
stiiution, but in the absence of any act
of Congress providing for Federal courts
in the islands and for a procedure by which
appeals, writs Of error, and other judicial
proceedings necessary for the enforcement
of civil rights may be prosecuted, they arc
powerless to secure their enforcement by
the judgment Of the courts OF the United
States. 1t is manifestly important, there
fore, that an act shall be passed as speedily
as possible erecting these islands into a
judicial district. providing for the appoint
ment of q judge and other proper officers.
and methods Of procedure in appellate pro-
ceedings, and that the government of this
newly acquired territory under the Federal
Constitution shall be fully defined and pro-
vided for.
Executive Recommendations OF
Great Weight.
A necessity for immediate legislative re-
lief exists in the Territory OF Alaska. Sub
stantially the only law providing civil
government for this Territory is the act Of
May II, 1884. This is meagre in its provi-
sions, and is fitted only for the administra-
ton of affairs In country sparsely inhab-
tied by civilized people and unimportant
in trade and production. as was Alaska at
the time this act was passed. The IN
crease in population by immigration durino
the past few years. consequent upon the
discovery OF gold. has produced such con-