The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-01-16
W0nIN sUFFRIe|sT
on AINI|'s DELEGATE
Ida 81. Harper Writes
About Election
Results.
SOME AMUSEMENT OVER SITUATION
GEORGE GEAR TELLS ABOUT THE
kAHuNA IN HAWAIIAN
POLITICS.
Comment on thevaluabte New Element
Added to the American Electorate
by Coneress-Educstec American
Women Have Nc Voice Here.

can view with good deal of compia-
eency the discontinue OF the white
men in both Washington and Honolulu
al having q royalist delegate sent from
Hawaii to the Congress Of the United
States. says Ida Hustled Harper in the
New York Sun. Last winter, when the
constitution for these Islands was be-
ing framed by Congress, the suffrage
associations of every state in the
union petitioned that il should not ex-
clude women from a representation in
the government: that whatever restric-
tions were imposed. Of education CT
property, there should not be the in
surmountahIe one of sex. Miss Antho-
ny herself, accompanied by number
of the prc1:71nt women of the differ
ent states wen. in person 10 entreat
the senators not 10 perpetrate that
wrong against these new citizens
which had been borne so long by those
of our own country. Their appeals
fell upon utterly deaf ears. Even the
senators from those states where wo-
men have the suffrage refused to bring
up the question lest it might imperil
their own bills for irrigation. public
buildings, etc When the constitution
finally was completed and accepted by
our great American Congress, it en-
franchised practically everything cf
the male species that had the physical
ability TO cast vote: and it discrim-
mated against women more outrage
ously than aay constitution ever fran
ed for territory within the United
States.
Under this, the first Hawaiian cleo
elected a legislature of natives to
make the laws for the Islands, which
for wears have been practically in con-
troll of Americans, and they have chos-
en- as delegate to our Congress a
strong adherent of the eX-Queen and
bitter opponent of republican form
of government. The woman suffrag-
lists may be pardoned if they are get
ting a good deal of quiet amusement
out of the situation.
George D. Gear of Honolulu. who is
here to contest Mr. Wilcox's seat. says
of the recent election:
The leaders of the independent Or
native party have Croker and Plat
faded out of sight. The bosses in this
country are mere babes in politics
compared with the native Hawaiians.
I'll bet Croker never dreamed of max
ing votes for his candidates by telling
the voters that the 'kahuna' would get
them if they didn't watch out The
kahuna is a person, either man or wo-
man, who is supposed to have power
TO pray other people to death. Shortly
before November 9Th the word was
passed around that all the kahunas On
the Islands would ~e set TO praying
for the death of natives who failed to
vote the independent ticket.
THE law under which the territorial
government is organized provides that
all the proceedings of the legislature
shall be conducted in the English Ian
guage. Now, it so happens that large
number of the members of both houses
can neither speak nor understand q
word of English. OF course they can
make no speeches on the floor. and it
is hard to figure out how they are even
going to vote, as they are not able 10
say so much as yes or no.
This is the valuable new element
which has been added to our elector
ate by a Congress whose members
would not even listen to a petition that
they would give the educated Ameri
can and English women in Hawaii a.
voice in the government. But every
point was strained in order to enfran
chise as many men as possible. with
the result that the very first delegate
TO the United States Congress is sent
by constituency who cannot speak
or read the English language, and who
voted for the candidate for fear the
COLLINS would get them If they
didn't And then We have the news
papers and politicians all over the
country pointing out that woman suff-
rage is 8 failure because it has not
brought about the millennium in the
four states where il has been in oper
alton for q few years. and that there
fore no more American women should
ha h1l1nsf
There is. however, no protest from
press or politicians in regard to the
results OF the ignorant and alien vote
in Hawaii Representative Knox -
Massachusetts. chairman of the com
mittee on territories which framed the
Hawaiian constitution. says.
Il think no mistake was made re
gariing the suffrage in those islands
The Washington Post while admit
ting tina. -.the kanakas have recorded
their opposition TO our most cherished
political institutions by sending dele
gate who stands for the monarchy.
with all which that implies declares
that nevertheless I'VE do not dream of
setting up any protest 1t says:
Unless we propose to govern these
people on the old carpet bag plan and
TO deny them even the poor privilege