The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-28
THE KNOX BILL
The Compromise Island
Measure.
Views of Washington Paper on
The Proposed Enactment
For Hawaii.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15-The Even
ing Star says:
No time should be lost by the House
IN getting 10 Work upon the Dill just
reported Irom the COMMITTEE on Ter
rILOrleS by Chairman hnOX providing
d form q government for Hawaii. Tne
SITUATION IN the Islands has become
depIoI able as a result of congressional
lnactlo1 at the last session. TneIe has
oeen virtually only the thlnnest in
deposition OF government between the
people aid absolute anarchy and 1t
speaks eloQuently for the good order In
the islands and the character OF the
people that serious disturbances have
not resulted from the anomalous con-
dltions. Annexed, but not provided for,
the group has drifted along in the tide
of circumstance, until now a great
visitation of disease has precipitated
an emergency calling for radical ac-
ton of some kind. The President has
issued call for the legislature to meet,
although he had previously held that
the legislature was nOn-eXisteht. Had
government of the kind generally out
lined by the Knox bill been provided
year ago this emergency would not
have brought such serious possibilities
for friction and trouble. 1t is to be
hoped that the dilemma OF the Hawai-
ians will now appeal strongly enough
to the houses to spur them on to the
prompt passage of some bill granting
them a territorial government, which
will enable them henceforth to conduct
their own affairs under the general
guidance of a presidential appointee as
hn Lnnv hill rnnI1irp
amendment after discussion, but in its
| general features it meets the case in
the broad and serves "a an excellent
medium for prosecuting the demand for
| legislation. 1t imposes no property
qualification upon the people in grant
| ing suffrage, while absolutely exclud-
| ing the Japanese and Chinese now in
the islands from voting. Thus the suf-
frage is vested in the voters of a popu-
| lation of approximately 81, 200 Hawai-
ians, 5000 half-Hawaiians, 5000 Amer
leans, $3.50 British, 1,400 Germans, 375
| Norwegians, 100 French, $4,000 Por-
| tuguese and 1000 of other nationalities.
This gives a proportion of about two
| Hawaiian or half-Hawaiian votes to
| one of foreign nationality and thus
| makes for native preponderance,
i which, however, IS likely to be con-
siderably affected by the prestige which
has been acquired by the Americans
The matter of contract labor will re-
quire close consideration. The great
plantations need large numbers OF
Orientals as laborers. Japanese and
Chinese most fully meet the conditions
and are most easily obtained. If they
are to be wholly excluded from the
islands on the contract labor basis some
provision must be made TO enable thu
planters to secure the necessary hell
to permit them to continue their opera
lions, which are the chief resources o
Hawaii. But such matters are capabl
of adjustment and the process need no
be greatly prolonged. What is neede
is prompt action, to relieve a situation
which would have become most seriou
had it not been for the excellent tempe
and character of the Hawaiians and tn
wisdom of the President in entrustin
the insular affairs to the men who mos
thoroughly understand the local condi
tons.