The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-28
WHO ARE c1r1zENsa

VI appealing W t4N e-Ai.sosA AoA SSfA~~
court TO compel the board OF registra-
ton OF the Island Of Oahu 10 perform
its plain duty The Republican fails to
see unless the board desires TO keep
many legal voters from exercising
their right of franchise. The question
presented by Mr.. Loucks is so plain
that it would seem that even the lag
man would have no trouble in reaching
a conclusion without difficulty, and GER
tainly the learned legal chairman c.
the board ought to have been able to
read anything so plain as the follow
ing in section of the Organic Act Of
Hawaii This section. which is on citi-
zenship. reads:
THAT all persons who were citizens
OF the Republic of Hawaii on August
12, 1898, are hereby declared to be ciri-
zens OF the United States and citizens
OF the Territory of Hawaii. And all
citizens of the United States resident
in the Hawaiian Islands who were resi-
dent there on or since August II, 1888,
and all the citizens of the United States
who shall hereafter reside in the Terri
tory OF Hawaii for one year shall be
citizens of the Territory of Hawaii"
Here it is plain as the English Lam
guage can make it that any citizen Of
the United States who was a resident
of the HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ON OR
SINCE August u, 1898, shall be citi-
zen of the Territory of Hawaii And
then to provide for the future. after
the Hawaiian Islands became Terri
tory of the United States. it provided
that they must THEREAFTER RE-
SIDE IN THE TERRITORY OF. HA-
wAII for one year" before becoming
a citizen of the Territory. Notice .he
distinction. In the first instance the
Hawaiian Islands, in the second the
Territory of Hawaii
Then the very next section Of the
Organic Act says that the constitution
and all the laws OF the United States
which are not locally inapplicable
shall apply to the Territory of Hawaii,
excepting sections 1850 and 1880 Of the
Revised Statutes of the United States.
Section 1859 of the Revised Statutes
of the United States provides: Every
male citizen above the age of q, in
cluding persons who have legally de-
ciared their intention to become ciri-
zens in any territory hereafter organ
lied. and who are actual residents Of
such territory at the time Of the or
ganization thereof, shall be entitled to
vote at the first election in such terri
tory and to hold any Office therein;
subject, nevertheless, to the following
restrictions on the power of the legis-
lative assembly," And then follow the
restrictions, which are that a voter
must be q years old, and other usual
qualifications for voters
From this it would appear very evil
dent that congress had this section 1859
of the Revised Statutes directly in
| mind when it framed section Of the
| Organic Act, for in that 1t expressly
said that any citizen of the United
States who was resident Of the fIa-
| waiian Islands or on since August IL,
| 1895. shall be citizen of the Territory
| OF Hawaii. 1t seems to US plainly evil
dent that congress did not intend that
the Organic Act should in any way con-
dict with section 1859 OF the Revised
Statutes. which says that every male
| citizen above the age OF q, who is an
actual resident of q territory at the
time of its organization, shall be eu-
titled to vote at the first election Ia
such territory.
The Territory of Hawaii was not Gr-.
ganized until June IA, 1900, and 1t Ger
tainly does seem from reading the law
that every citizen OF the United States
who was a bona fide resident of the
Hawaiian Islands at the time 10 sn-
titled to vote at the first election re-
gardless Of whether he had lived here
one year or lived here only one week
previous to June IA.
However, the courts viii soon decide
the matter and the tendency has a.
ways been to interpret very literally
the laws affecting the right to vote In
favor Of q very free exercise Of the
franchise.