The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-24
HAWAII AND PORTO RICO,
Chicago Times. s.Hernld.

The Hawaiian bill is a model, 1t
admits the islands on an exact equal
ity with our territories. in conformity
with the broad principle that there
should be no discrimination between
different parts OF the United States.
Such restrictions as are aimed against
orientals already prevail in this coun-
try, while the suffrage provisions in
general are OF the most liberal sort
Both houses Of this legislature are to
be elected by the people, and the prop
erty qualification for senatorial eleo-
tors. which was established as pre-
cautionary measure by the short-lived
Hawaiian republic, is abolished. Ma
tives are endowed with the political
rights that belong to our own citizens.
The tariff laws are made uniform with
ours.
We see nothing here to criticise, but
how Illogical and worse than illogical
1t would be for congress to pass this
thoroughly commendable bill and the
anomalous Porto Rico bill at the same
session. Whether the comparison is
by race or industries, 1t initiates with
equal force against the enactment Of
the latter.
OF the population of Hawaii but S,OSs
are Americans, 2.25O British, 1882
Germans and 37S Norwegians There
are, on the other hand, 31.Ols Hawa-
iians. s.4S5 part Hawaiians, 1871 Por-
tugese and Of nonvoters 24,4O7 Japa-
nese and 31.6l6 Chinese. 1t is a very
queer combination, with the power OF
government in the hands Of shiftless
natives and ignorant Portuguese If they
should choose to exercise it.
In Porto Rico nearly two-thirds Of
the population, which exceeds 100000.
are Spanish or part Spanish, the re-
mainder being Negroes. OF the Span
ish a very considerable number must
be intelligent and well educated. They
represent the old society of the isl
and, which had wealth and cultivation
and are decidedly superior to native
Hawaiians and to the Portuguese emil
grants in Hawaii The negroes are
like those In our Southern states, who
constitute half the population in Louis
lana and more than half in South Car
olina.
Neither in the one case nor the other
are the conditions ideal, but as 1t is
the reasonable expectations OF the
trainers of the Hawaiian bill that Ha-
waiian voters will be led by the intelli-
gent minority, so We may suppose that
an intelligent minority will direct pub
lie opinion among the more homogen-
eous people Of Porto Rico At any
rate, a discrimination against Porto
Rico, which limits the suffrage and
makes one branch Of the legislature
aDpointive, involves US in the most
glaring absurdities. as the references
to both Hawaii and the Southern states
show. We should give the Porto Rlc-
ans the same chance that the others
have, knowing as We do that govern
ment can be learned only by paac-
tice and that the immense power Of
the United tsates is sufficient to guar
antee order.
The tariff differences are equally H.
logical and indefensible. We are pro
tected" against Porto Rico largely in
the interest Of the sugar men. But Ha-
wall produces five times as much sugar
as Porto Rico, nor does the fact that
it has enjoyed reciprocity advantages
effect the argument. 1t is granted free
trade with US, not because it deserves
it any more than Porto Rico, but be-
cause its shrewd American population |
is better skilled in dealing with con-
gress.