Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-21
HOLSTEN
AS SUFFRAGE
CHAMPION

True to- his promise, Speaker Hol.
stein. in the final days of the legisla.
tive session. has resuscItated the
equal suffrage question, intimating he
win come out strongly in its behalf.
Taking the floor for the second time
in the present session the speaker.
Just before the noon recess today,
sought TO recall house joint resoiu-
ton No l, which deals with equal
suffrage, but, thwarted in that attempt
by Representative kaweTehi, intro
Guced a new resolution on the same
and succeeded, despite stout
opposition, in having it referred to
the Oahu delegation At the same
time he notified Chairman S. S. Pax
son of that body that the women who
are urging enfranchisement desire to
be heard. 1t is likely the committee
will hold public hearing within day
or two to permit the women to appear
and present their arguments. .....
On taking the floor Speaker Hol-
stein introduced a petition signed by
ia of the most prominent women of
the territory Mrs. w. F. Frear, wife
of the governor, was one OF those
heading the list of signers. The petit
ton asks the legislature to memorial
ize congress, requesting the organic
act be amended to permit the enfran-
chisement of women of the territory.
The speakers appearance on the
floor was signal for fight, and be-
fore he could get to his feet motion
for recess had been put. He asked
Kupihea, the author to withdraw it,
but on the latter's refusal, Holstein
put the counter motion, to table the
motion for recess His motion carried.
Immediately after his petition had
been read Holstein moved that house
joint resolution be taken up
from the table This measure, after
being considered in committee of the
whole in the house, had been tabled,
early in the session. The motion to
take up from the table to reconsider
action must carry the unanimous con-
sent of the house, and Representative
Kawewehi blocked Holstein's motion
by refusing to vote favorably.
Inasmuch as a joint resolution is
not considered the proper form for
memoria Ito congress, it is surmised
that Kawewehi's opposition to this
one was not unexpected. In fact, the
speaker already had his concurrent
resolution ready and in writing, and
as soon as it was announced that the
joint resolution could not be lifted
from its pigeon-hole, he offered the
new one =. ~. :. i -.
Because the other resolution had
been tabled on recommendation of the
committee of the whole, Helstein NOV
ed that the new one be referred to the
Oahu delegation. Chairman Paxson, of
that committee, experienced a sudden
fit of diffidence. He didn't want the
responsibility and, sustained by Kawe-
wehi and one or two others, urged
that the new one go to the committee
of the whole. Da Silva Joined him in
this, declaring the men of the other
islands were just as interested in the
subject, and would be just as much af-
fected by the proposed change, as those
on Oahu. But the authority to refer
lay with the vice-speaker, Coney, and
he accepted Holstein's suggestion, re-
ferring the resolution to the Oahu del
egation. %"... + T..
Holstein's resolution would not give
the women immediate suffrage, how
ever. 1t calls only for a plebescite,
when the electors of Hawaii may say,
on election day, whether they want the
women to vote. H.. :. -. . r.