The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-12-25

floor OF Congress. That body win have
exhibited before 1t day by day the nat
ursl result of committing. by unlimited
suffrage. the weighty concerns of this
Territory to the decisions Of the child
ish and Incompetent mass of the ma
tive Hawaiians. instead of to a some
what selected body Of voters chosen
from among them and the superior ca
pable white race. 1t Is likely to furnish |
useful study to Congress as to what is
wise and proper distribution of suffrage /
among weak populations and unde-
veloped races.
The Congress of the United States has |
before IL a protracted and arduous task |
that of organizing such degree of lib |
eral government as may be practicable |
in Porto Rico and the Philippines. !
where the great majority of the popu-
llation are in depressed condition, men
tally and morally. and. among whom
there has been no experience of repre-
sentative government The principle OF
manhood suffrage" which evidently
possessed the minds OF representatives
VIXEN last spring they legislated for
/ Hawaii In a manner contrary to the
wise recommendations OF the committee
sent here, may be quite applicable to
&c nerally possess a good degree of per-
soral manhood. Unfortunately a ma
ljority OF adult Hawaiian males are but
children i'm thought and volition. as we
who are acquainted with them too well
know. The same is undoubtedly true
of the people OF the Philippines. When
representative institutions are sought
10 be established there. unless the suf-
frage is rigidly restricted to such per-
sons as have verified their manhood by
. practical success in life those institu-
. tions will be a failure.
. Working In a new field and upon new
conditions. American statesmen, with
/ all their national shrewdness. are like
I Nv 10 make many serious mistakes.
: Like other men, they must learn by ex-
4 lperience. IL they shall gain some of that
. experience at the cost of Hawaiis inter
ests. by observing the qualities of Mr..
= Wilcox. who Is the early fruit of their
. Legislation in our behalf. Hawaii must
. .CCntent herself with becoming thus .oi
. a slight public service.
a PROBLEM BEFORE THE LEGISLA-
: TURE.
h We have. however. a more seriou:
e problem to meet in the coming Legisla
constituency. The personnel of tn
u members elected does not augur wei
Il for their performance. a majority o
II them appear to be pledged to move
l. ment to refuse confirmation to the Off
; cials appointed by Governor Dole. w
II can only hope that they may prov
? amenable to discussion from so ex
ic treme a measure \There is much YER
Il N
le tended To after a three years interval
ic and some of the needed measures ca
1r for very wise and careful discussion
* such as the great proportion of tn
" newly elected statesmen are quite in
he competent to apply.
p on the other hand. Hawaii has lon
e conducted its legislation with goo
to success under a system of very re
We lstricted suffrage. Precedents of actio
u are well established. So many are aC
n customed to handle the machinery {
q. Legislation that some useful work ma
no hope to be ground out. I am sorry
say that in former days the less reputs
=. BILE the character OF the legislators. g:
n lpecially under the late Kalakaua, II
M more amenable they were Sound to
40 TO private Influences. where prices WEI
20 by no means high. The Chinese wei
rs found to have a special aptitude in al
no plying such motives. IL will not
w. strange IL our coming Legislatu
an should be largely handled by SUE
,r- methods.
III CITY GOVERNMENT OF HOMO
his LULU.
~ The subject of municipal governme
rs. promises to be a very serious one. |
he To this time we have had no muni'
es. palities whatever. Everything has be
OF done by the central government:
the concede that Honolulu. with its neal
the 50, 900 people. is in great need of incc
poration as a city, with its own loo
In government. At the same time,
the owners of property here extrem'
eri- dread the day when officials chosen
he the great rabble Of irresponsible 7
eN- tives shall exercise the power of ley
ent ing taxes and expending money. I
igh looming municipal government Is to
ave organized by this Legislature with
~ majority Of incompetent and unprir
'ost pied men. who would reject with Sc
n any advice from our executive.
the prospect is not pleasant one.
ay THE WEATHER.
anv The exceptionally hot summer h
ef- has been succeeded by unusually h
cted Wy rains during the past six weeks.
NJ rain was deluging on the Island
'heh Maui. Being accompanied by a
ove- lent gale. there was some desti uc
de- los property. IL was more Of n ST
with than has occurred in these parts
,art many years. You know that our gr
tdod Is absolutely exempt from anyu
-. like n hurricane OF typhoon. just as
are exempt from the extreme heat
usH the tropics, or even your Washing
rent. summer heats.