The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-20
CONGRESS AND HAWAII.
Views Of a Honaiulu Paper on the Impend-
ing Legislation.

From Austln's Hawaiian Weekly.
What the Congress OF the United States
will do is something no one dare predict
What ii ought to do is quite another mat
ter Congress annexed Hawaii ~ jolrt
resolution, and provided that Hawaiian
laws not inconsistent with the Consti.u-
ton of the United States should continue
to govern until an enabling act was pass
ed. Ii gave the President power TO sp-
point and remove any officers Of the gov
eminent and the general supervision ever
Hawaiian affeirS, but Ii did not give him
the power TO set aside or make imperative
any of the Hawaiian laws not incousist-
ent with the Constitution Of the United
States; yet one of the first Gets Of the
President was the issuing Of peremptcrv
injunction forbiddiag the lacal election o.
senators and representatives # the legis-
lature, thus contrary 10 Hawaiian law
which, by the Newlands resolution. WAS
made TO govern, cutting the pe5pla or
from any representation in the affairs Cf
government. In the first place this WAS
un-American. and Ii certainly was not the
intent of Congress to delegate power 10
the President that would nave this effect.
In the second place the possibility of a
delay in getting the requisite aIprnpria-
tons made next year has placed The local
government IN a very embarrassing posi-
ton. Taxation continues and money is
piling up in the treasury with 10 means
of making it available for circulation in
the channels IL was intenlad for. By the
end of this month there viii b. a balance
in the treasury Of nearly 100000. corsid-
erably more than one-half Of which Is
probably surplus; yet, unless he enabling
act is speedily passed by Congress. all
public work must stop, schoolhoases close.
and all branches Of government must be
crippled for want of money when there
are more than ample funds in the treas
ury to meet all requirements. Doubtless
President Mckinley In stopping Hawaiian
elections, had an abiding faith that Com
gress would act promptly in Hawaiian af-
fairs, bCt as no man can tell what Con-
gress will do leaving out Of the question
the constitutiOnality OF his interference,
Mr.. Mckinley did the people % Hawaii
great injustice in placing them in a I,0si-
ton that banishes the possibility of self
government If Congress does not act
The Presidents land proclamation.
which sets aside the Hawaiian land laws
and breaks every sale or lease made by
the Hawaiian government, which was au-
lhoriZed by the Newlands resolution. is
an arbitrary act that is no. only uncon-
stitutional. but works great injustice 10
innocent purchasers and retaTds business
in producing feeling of uncertainty in
land titles. The United States annexed
the Hawaiian Islands without the consent
OF the majority of the people Cf Hawaii
and If the islands are TO be retained as an
integral part Of the United Sta.es. l. ia
manifestly the duty of Congress 20 i'm
mediatey pass an enabling act which Will
give Hawaiians self-gOvernmcnt or in
some way curb the Presidents propensity
for interfering with the operation of Ha-
waiian laws, which are good enough for
any one.