The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-09
lawmakers
N HAWAII
Natives Are Trying to Starve
the Americans Out.
HAS CREATED A FEELING
Conditions Are Such That
Thew Can't Last.
HAS CREATED A FEELING

/ ture OF the Territory of Hawaii. after be-
| ing in session for four months has ad-
| journed, and has furnished good Illus
/ tration OF the tendencies Of native Ha-
waiian law makers. The first legislature
had imperfect ideas OF the distinction
between the executive and Legislative de-
partments of the government Almost
without exception. the native members
thought that because the native party
had won at the polls it had the right 10
| dictate who should hold the offices. from
the governor down. Ii was because OF
this belief that ths Home Rule majority
in the two houses two years ago sent
a joint resolution to President Mckinley
asking him TO remove Governor Dole.
/ That President Mckinley did not do as
he was asked in this matter was very
much Of a surprise 10 almost the entire
native population. This misconception OF
their powers made the native majority OF
the first legislative the prey and catspaw
of an intriguing element of whites. who
hoped through IL to make clamor enough
to secure the removal OF Dole, and per
haps in the appointment of his successor
to get possession of the government for
their own purposes. Influenced through
their ignorance in this and other ways.
the native element of the first legislature
did not clearly demonstrate the natural
tendencies of the race as legislators.
In the second legislature the disturb
ing element of white intriguers OF two
years ago had become practically dis
credited. Both branches OF the second
L. f-lo
In the senate this majority was COM
posed of white men. and the senate
throughout the four months session has
had most creditable record. The house
though nominally Republican. contained
only six or eight white men in a mem
bership of thirty. Almost from the first
the line of distinction between Republic
an and Home Rulers was lost, so far as
the native members were concerned. and
the line OF distinction between natives
and whites replaced II. With few remit
tent and uncertain exceptions native Re
publicans and native Home Rulers Joined
forces. The most clear-cut example OF
this was the widely published debate
and vote in the House on the proposition
OF establishing a territorial advertising
agent. TO secure tourist travel and bring
settlers to the territory from the states
of the mainland. All but two or three
of the native members voted against the
proposed office.
But so violent and outspoken were the
natives against permitting American cit
liens of other states and territories 20
come here that the sober second thought
of some of the Hawaiians in and out OF
the legislature was that the matter had
gone too far. Speaker Beckley, a Ha-
waiian, who had himself declared that the
proposition ought to be negatived. because
it would mean Tie end OF native suprem-
acy. refused TO allow the official stenog-
rapher of the house to furnish a trans
cript of his notes of the debate TO the
newspapers. This feeling resulted In the
end in a reconsideration of the matter
and the adoption of the proposal for
territorial advertising agent with the i'm
portant change that, instead of being
made an employee OF the Office Of the sec
rotary of the territory. who is a white
man and an appointee of the President.
the advertising agent is made an en-
ployee OF the treasurer of the territory.
who is a native Hawaiian.
Just as striking. and more conclusive.
was the uniform policy adopted by the
native ma jority of the House in regard
TO the appropriations. In the matter OF
salaries. almost without exception. the
souse tried to cut down the salary OF
every Office held by white man and 70
raise the salary OF every Office held by a
native In the matter OF other appro-
priations. wherever the direct or imme
date benefit was to accure TO native Ha
waiiaRs a large figure was proposed.
Where Hawsiians were not 20 be imme
diately or directly benefited. there was .
tendency To cut down the appropriation.
In the matter Of the appropriations for
the leper sentiment. for instance any in
crease Of appropriation asked. to increase
the food. clothing and money allowance
OF the lepers. who are nearly all Hs-
waiians. vas readily granted. while every
appropriation for better administrative
service Of the settlement. for bacterioiog
ical or other appliances or material for
the scientific study and treatment of the
disease was violently opposed. because
such sums Of money would not 60 directly
10 any Hawaiian. but might go to some
white.
To such an extent was this purely race
consideration carried that in several cases
where a particular Official had incurred I
the dislike OF some member or some ele-
ment Of the natives an appropriation for
the Office was refused unless The disiiked
Official was discharged That this actually |
was carried into effect IN only one Or
tVo instances is due 70 the fact that the |
senate stood drm on the proposition that /
appropriations should be made on tie /
basis Of the Office. ard not The man. ard 4
IN the end an important biil making sp- 4
propria,lons for isnpeTzfiFely needed Pub /
lie improvements Uss saved only - TIE 4
senate yleidfng as 20 one white o'Tsclsl 4
whom The natives had MARRIED fer ssa1gs- /
ter.
50 urrsistskzhiy has race con-tcerzfion I
been the sole guide q Tire native r7eSn- 4
be-s with few excer;iossl that d. 4
elded reaction has znsnif-sf>t iis-it n 1
many quarters aEzsns, the feeinx tat .
Vas cree almost universal he~e. ts2t
che native. as a matter n sentiment zsust
have an equal vote With TIE -hif> rna--
Thers srs many ssgrs that vita sro;hsT
legislature having native najortfy is
rlaviax TIE zane te16s1csss that iris 90
has. the ta1-nzyizS. proSertT-oSrirx- -
s--o--<ssse ss--~-s r. re t---itorT ~ 4
sassffsr ard try % p--vez; the native
fruru hzvf-g = ma sorsfT q el;ssr Aos-ss .: