The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1901-05-06

an open notification of the constitu-
ton of the United Stotcs and the
wrestling from the neg, oes of any voice
or influence in their own government.
They are thereby returned to the
same political condition they were in
when they were slaves. BUS the Sen
ator sees further happy results from
this suppression of their constitution
al rights. He looks to it rs a means
of forcing them out of the country en-.
tirely He thinks that as some are
going to Hawaii, the rest will follow,
and that they will people the Philip
pines, making room for white men,
when I'VE will be a free and happy
people"
AS no one is inclined to battle for
the rights of a people who will not
themselves defend those rights, it is
highly improbable that any consider
able number of the Northern people
will be found ready to stand by the
constitution and insist that all of the
guarantees shall be enjoyed by is
especially suggestive. There is some
craftiness in the Maryland and South
Can olina laws, and searching argu-
ment and analysis are required to
prove them obnoxious to the constitu
ton. But it is not so with the law of
Mississippi. 1t is clearly disfranchise.
ment OF living negroes because their
dead grandfathers were slaves. No
wonder the Senator regards Northern
indifference to that fragrant provision
as "a distinct victory" over the con
stitution, though he hides it under the
euphemism of white suffrage"
We think that we are justified in
concluding that negro suffrage is
doomed, and that the constitution Of
the United States is powerless to
secure it against the determined op.
position of any considerable number
of people. The whole country on a
rising vote stands for white suffrage
only, and on a call for the negative
was when the Congressional appor
tionment passed the last Congress.
The South will be permitted to dis
franchise the negro and yet retain
over fifty Congressman and as many
votes in the electoral college, by still
counting him for purposes of ap-
r,.tt @,,f p1 o. n
his, although both are directly and
distinctly forbidden by the Federal
constitution!
This condition opens up wide
ield not for speculation but for re-
Election as to the future status of Porto
Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines. We
ire, by the active agency of the South
md the passive consent of the North,
establishing the principle that this
5 white mans government We are
going back to the Dred Scott decision
md accepting that part of it's dicta as
: repeal of the fifteenth amendment.
All this is in line with what we believe
S the p! esent mind and will be the
tuture infexible policy of the people
is to all th0Ifslands. Their black and
Fellow millions will never be admitted
to equal citizenship, nor their territory
% statehood in this republic
All told, they number about 10000,
100, and the decree may be regarded
Is written that they are to be per-
lanently excluded. Much future trou
hle is avoided by present frankness.
The reported inducement held out ~or
,acification of the Filipinos, that they
ire to have statehood and citizenship,
is a lure and delusion. They will new
81 have either. If they choose to
here is no objection, but to take it
With the promise of statehood is
process of sowing dragons teeth.
With the principle Of exclusive white
government established, we will fiud
ourselves with 100000 of domestic
negroes and 100000 of islanders
on our hands to be governed, without
substantial voice in that government.
That will be 30,000000 of people, de-
lied independence, held in political
hattelry and deprived of the only
means by which they can consent to
government. Passive submission or
open revolt is all that is left to them.
Before we bind the islands irrevo-
cably it is well to give some thought
to these considerations.