The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-27
CANNOT BE RECONCILED.

t-
The discussion of the Hawaiian bill in
the Senate has brought out the fact tnat
the present Republican party proposes
to give the few white men exclusive con-
troll of the government of our new IS
lands while in the South it Is trying
to put upon the intelligent and property
owning whites negro domination. Mr..
Tillman in the presentation of the bill
by Mr.. Platt, of Connecticut, badger
cd" the Connecticut Senator no little,
and drove him to the wall by pressure
upon him to reconcile his present Tti-
tude toward Hawaii with his past atti-
tude towards to the South. Here is that
portion of the debate:
Mr.. Platt, of Connecticut: | know that
we have there a very small white popu-
lation compared with the inhabitants of
the Territory Of course | can not give
the exlct figures of the different races
and nationalities in the Territory, but, as
| remember, all the white people there
are less than 1000, except Portuguese
Mr. Teller There are more than
that
Mr.. CulIom. There are between four
and five thousand-2.00O British ana J.
800 Germans, perhaps.
Mr. Plat of Connecticut. l had ID
mind the voting population.
Mr.. Culom. Yes.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut. However
that may be, the white population, exclu-
Siye of the Portuguese, is very small
roI wifi no
ton of the islands; and whether the
British and Germans are going TO be-
come American citizens we do not know.
The probability is that they will not.
So we have there what may be called
governing population, or a population
which we may think ii advisable to con-
stitute the governing population consist
ing of some 1000.
i do not complain of the bill, Mr.
President, in that it proposes, and de-
lfberatey proposes, to put the govern
ment of those islands practically into the
hands of those 1000 people l know
That the Senator from South Carolina,
Mr.. Tillman, will ask ME how it is that
reconcile the fact that | am i'll favor
of a property qualification there which
shall put the government or the islands
into the minds of those 1000 people
but | do not think that question arises
here.
The question about the rights of the
blacks to vote is not new question. We
are not determining now whether, If 1t
were new question, we should extend
suffrage to the black population of this
country. We did do that; and the differ
pnce which exists now between Senators
from different sections of the country is
I l. Il.
have done shall be carried out in
good faith We are not considering the
question as to what We. should do if il
were a new question. So | say that
do not complain of this bill because it
proposes in its provisions to commit
the government of those islands practical
ly to the 1000 Americans, who reside
there. They have alwtlys been the class
which were the governing power under
the king, to he sure. They have been
the class which redeemed the islands
from Sivagery and barbarism, and made
them what they are-AmericaniZed the
islands and set up American institutions
there, and at last. an American Gov
eminent there; and though it seems arbi-
trary, and though it seems to contradict
10 some extent the principles upon which
our free Government is established here.
do not complain of the bill on that ac-
count | do not complain of the T}rovis-
ion which requires that persons, in order
to vote for Senators, shall have "a
property qualification Of thousand dol
lars, | believe, or 5000 income | may
not get the figures exactly right.
Mr.. Cullom. That is right.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut. The purpose,
of it is TO perpetuate that government
III the hands of the American citizenship
of the islands. While as | say. it
seems a little at Variance with what we
have heretofore done, l do not complain
Of the bill on that account
Mr.. Tillman. Will the Senator allow
ne?
The Presiding Officer (Ir. Clay in
the chair. Does the Senator from Con
necticut yield?
Mr.. Plat of Connecticut. l will il
the Senator does not discomfort me in
what | was about to say.
Mr.. T.llman. | would Just remark
right there that the Senator possibly
msunderstands my position | do no,
object to having the Government of the
Hawaiian Islands remain in the posses
sion of the white people there, because
| believe in white supremacy; and |
believe that white supremacy in the
Hawaiian Islands is necessary to good
government, just as | believe that white
supremacy in South Carolina is neces-
sary for good government in that State
If the white people of South Caroline
have been compelled to do things in the
maintenance of that which the Senator
from Connecticut has objected to in
the past, and which possibly he still OBJ