The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-03-28
Local Federal Iurist Throws
Down Bars Which Had Proven
ted Native Of Philippines Be-
coming Full Pledged Americans
COURT MAKES THOUSANDS
OF POTENTIAL VOTERS
Hundreds Are Expected To Take
Speedy Advantage Of opportu-
nifty Offered BY Decision, Say
Leaders Of Race in Honolulu

nY his decision granting Marcos
Id Soils, Filipino, the right Il
citizenship Judge Clemens in tn,
Federal court yesterday, threw dowr
the bars which had up until that tim,
Ilevepted the native Of the Philippine
rom beeomihg a fnll-fedged American
2 nc petition was granted "upon biz
faiisfying the court Of his other quail
The finding Of the court proved Of
Intense interest because Of its great i'm
rofianee to the people of Hawaii II
ibe past eve or six years, as the re
l1rts Of former Governor Frear and Of
|'orcrnor IInkham show, more thar
IiItoen thousand natives Of the Philip
Iines have been brought into these Isl
lads. They are still arriving in large
nnmbcr, ne last batch, more than q
hundred men, women and children
,saehiue here on the Nippon Maru only
Yesterday.
Decision Delights
Leaders Of the Filipinos In Honolulu
Yesterday did not hesitate to voice their
Helifht AZ the news Of Judge ClemOns
decision. While none Of them could on
would give estimates regarding the
number Of their fellow eountrymen who
might be expected to take advantage Of
fhe decision as SION as possible, it was
said that there are several thousand
fiult males Of = voting age who are
qualified now TO take out their papers
That there Is a possibility that the
decision may be taken up for revision
by the departmental justice in w ashing-
ton was shown by the action Of United
States District Attorney Vaughan, who
took exception to the ruling by the
Teal court. Mr.. Vaughan said that he
lad received instructions from Wash
i,,kton to fate that move, and based
Iis objection 10 the ruling on the
ground that filipinos are not "free
white eitizens,' nor, as they are in
fhbitants Of a territory dependent on
the United States, can they foreswear
allegiance to foreign ruler, as the law
requires
Ftliticians sit Up
The chief effect Of the ruling was
d be noted in the political field. 1t
U1a pointed out that with the steadily
iItreaaino numbers Of the Filipinoa
a the Territory Il will not be long be
FIRE they have the balance Of power
!. their hands II Judge Clemens rul-
i1l slands unaltered. Proof Of their
rapid increase II Hawaii is not far
q seek. II h hrat, matter Of com
non talk, and the Official figures Of
Governor P,nkhams last report show
nat while IN 1911 there were less than
tree thousand Of them. last April
Tiers were 1920.
Increase Largest
ID commenting upon these figures
Governor Pinkham said stthe Filipinos
show tile largest increase, due to ex-
eoss arrivals and births over deaths
aid departures "A large number Of
Ills race has been brought to this Ter
IIory by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters
Association as laborers on the planta-
The same report shows that the
voters Of the Territory were headed
last year BY the Hawaiians, with 10,
sos. The Americans came second with
1920. the Portuguese next with 2,317.
II all OF the Filipinos in Hawaii fol
low the example Of Mr.. Soils and seek
their citizenship papers, close esti-
mate Of the Filipmos given by those
IN b position to know set the number
~ between seven and nine thousand
eligible to become voters when their
hnal papers are issued. This number
nahnvallv is growing steadily because
Of the births and the constant stream
Of arrivals brought from the Philip
pines.
The census Of 1910 gave certain fig-
urtS ppoh the yPilipinos which probably
have been changed considerably since
that time. The census takers found
fknt Of the Filipinos in the Islands
Phcutla third. including the women
and the children were illiterate, that
Is they could not write. The percent
age to be exact was 32.4. Since that
time the percentage has probably low
cred, say those who are in touch with
tie race here, SO that they stand well
ii the list of the nations represented
IN Hawaii. The proportion of men to
p,ersen end children combined as given
Ia the statistics Of arrivals, is as eight
to three.
.AThis decision Of Judge Clemens. it
was pointed out yesterday by officers
Of the national guard, win go far to-
Rsgrd the settlement Of the question of
the light Of the Filipino to become a
member Of that body. This question
rseerilY raised, lased an objection TO
the presence Of the Islanders in tn local
militia on the ground that they were
not citizens nor could they become
ritiyens. l1
10 IaraI Par
IS On the question of the eligibility Of