The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-12
Territorial Government to Be
Given the Islands.
BILL IN CONGRESS- TODAY
HAS BEEN DRAWN UP READY TO
SUBMIT.
Voluminous Report of the House
Committee, Which Goes Into All
the Questions Involved-Eztsnt
of the Local Powers to Be Granted
Exclusion of Chinese.

( tive W. 5. Knox Of Massachusetts,,
chairman Of the house committee on
territories, has completed his report on
the bill for the creation Of the terri
/ torial form of government in Hawaii.
and it Will be submitted to the house
/ tomorrow. The report is a very vOlum-
/ nous document, going exhaUstively
/ INTO all the questions involved and
/ thoroughly covering every phase of
/ the bill, which the committee has
/ agreed upon after many hearings. and
: much investigation. Chairman Knox
i says there Is imperative need Of early
4 enactment of an organic act for
! Hawaii, as it has become aDDarent
/ that there is much doubt of the extent
! OF the power granted to the local gov
eminent Of Hawaii by the provisions
OF the joint resolution Of annexation
! ana IN many important respects there
/ IS something like an interregnum in
! Hawaii
Many doubtful questions of admir-
/ atty ana maritime jurisdiction have
/ arisen, as well as OF criminal procedure,
rendering it uncertain whether there is
/ now any tribunal for the decision of
I important questions affecting property
/ and any existing method by which
criminals may be indicted or legal
/ JurieS empaneled for their trial
III
There is also grave doubt concerning
the power of the Hawaiian govern
ment to grant franchises for industrial
and commercial enterprises, or for rail-
ways which have been projected. In
many respects the business affairs Of
the territory are brought to a stand
still. Many Americans have bought
| government land since annexation on
I which they have built residences and
/ planted crops, but their land titles are
now in dispute and cannot be settled
until the passage of this bill.
Shuts Out Good Citizens.
Meanwhile no Americans can settle in
( Hawaii on hOmesteads or land to be
bought from the government and a
very desirable class of citizens is
! thereby shut out of this new territory.
The local government is unable even
I TO make public roads over any part of
the public domain of Hawaii or carry
out plans based on legislation prior 10
annexation for widening and straight
ening the str cts of Honolulu.
The presence in that city of the bu-
6onic plague is calling for drastic
measures by the Hawaiian authorities
involving the expenditure of hundreds
OF thousands Of dollars. In order to
provide for these expenditures and to
compensate the construction of build
ings which have been burned in the
effort to suppress the pestilence. it is
proper and just that a territorial Lexis
lature be provided by congress with
no unnecessary delay.
Since the adoption Of the resolution
OF annexation, large numbers Of
japanese contract labOrers have been
brought into the islands. Their number
IS uncertain, but at least 1900 and
probably more than $4,000: and delav
IN extending the laws Of the United
states to the islands viii be taken ad-
vantage of to increase their numb IT
Territorial Form Of Government.
The form of government proposed by
the bill for the Hawaiian islands ig
territorial in form, similar to that Of
the later territories of the United
States-a governor, a secretary, both
appointed by the president, a treasurer.
attorney general commissioner OF
pubic lands, commissioner Of aSricul-
ture and forestry, superintendent Of
public works, superintendent of public
/ instruction. auditor and deputy
auditor surveyor and hish sheriff ap-
pointed by the governor.
The legislature is provided, consisting
Of a senate and house of representa-
tives. elected by the people. The terri
tory is TO be represented by a delegate
IN congress The territory is to be
represented by q delegate in congress
The territory is made q judicial district
OF the United STATES. with a district
court. The judicial power of the terri
tory is vested in a supreme court and
IN superior courts to be established by
the legislature.
The constitution and laws of the
United States, locally applicable, are
Gwfnnnan
the laws Of Hawaii, not inconsistent
with the constitution and laws of the
United States, are continued in force.
The territory is made q customs and
revenue district, and becomes subject
to the tariff laws Of the United States.
Chairman Knox says it needs no ar
gument to convince that if it be posi-
bic TO give to the Hawaiian islands a
government like that of the United
states terrltOries-a government which
has met the approval of congress and
the American people since the constf-
tuition was adopted and has proved it
self adapted to the needs of a free and
progressive people-it is desirable to
do so.
Idea of Universal Suffrage.
The American idea Of universal suf-
frage presupposes that the body of
citizens who are 10 exercise il in a
free and Independent manner have. bv
inheritance or education, such knowI-
edge and appreciation OF the resDon-
sibilities Of free suffrage and of a full
participation in the sovereignty Of the
country as to be able to maintain a
republican government. Tried BY this
test. he says, the Hawaiian people
meet the requirements for the govern
ment proposed.
The report discusses the population
Of the Islands with a view to establish
ing this proposition. Of the 100 O2O in
habitants in 1886 g, 019 were Hawaiians
$50 part Hawaiians 3056 Americans.
Z.250 British, 1432 Germans, 1O1 French
3fS NorWegians, 100 Portuguese. "a
40T japanese. 2L616 Chinese. and 1865
of other natiOnalities.
The report says there has doubtless
been some increase in the population
since 1895 from American and EurODeaU
4 immigration, and @ very considerab bic
increase from the importation of jan
anese laboTers since the passage Of the
annexation resolution, which NAV be
taken az 10000. so that the population
OF the Hawaiian islands at present NAV
be placed at more than 10000. OF this
population, the greater portion are
Asiatics-Chinese and Japanese.
VIII Exclude Chinese.
With the passage Of this bill. the
Chinese viii be excluded and the inn
portation of japanese contract laborers
prohibited. Neither the Chinese nor
japanese have political power and were
not eligible 10 citizenship under the
republic of Hawaii neither could tbev
obtain homestead rights. The Chinese
have come to Hawaii intending Ia re-
turn to their native land when pos
sessed OF what 10 them is a conpe-
tence- Inc japanese largely have the
same purpose.