Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 46, 24 February 1894 — A REPUBLIC. [ARTICLE]

A REPUBLIC.

— The Pr' -visional sident j Outlines His Plans. Ch ; capo, Feb 16—An interviev witli Pre«ulent Dole, j written by William Preston Harriaon, i.s telegrdphe<l to tbe Liin** from San Fmr.cisco and is I printed tbis morning. To the editor of the linien, whohasbeen making a careful stu<ly of Hawaiian atlair8, the ProvisonaI leader r.utlines Lis p!ans for the estab lishment of a republican governmcnt for the islands In response to a queston as to what steps are tc be takeu fōr the formation of a permsnent government President Dole said; •‘We ehull l>e working on onr plans toward tho establishment of a republic, but will take no i dctinite actiou nntil Congress i shall have definitely disposed of the question now before the Honse at \Vashington.” ,*Tben no constitution has yet boen drafted?” ‘ No, positively none, further than rough drafts drawn byraembers of the present governraent and others in tbeir indiv idua capacity.” “If Congress rejects the an noxation treaty, then what!” “A republic will undoubted!y bo ostabbshed, but oven then we will not act hastily, as the matter isoneofthe gravest importance to all parties concerued. We shall wish to have representative features iu case of the establish ment of ropublic, and in the meantimo tho Provisional goverr.ment will continue to act as at present. “How many houses will the new Legislature have?” “There is no doubt that there will be two houses sitting iu depeudeutly of eaeh other and uot together, as under the monarchy.” “How about the necessary qualifications to bo eligible for office?” “The sontiment seems to be that the qoalificatious of the lower house should be verv slight. Greater educational qua!ifications will be necossary than were formerly demanded, bolh for voters and iuembers <>f the House of Representatives. The merer.bility to read and wrile, as fonuerly re<]uired, may mean nothiug. My idea is that we should have a board of esamiuation organize<l to pass on a voter’s educatioual qua!ifications, and that a certificate should theu be issued whieh would be gotxl for all tirae. I refer to an eilucationaI certificate only. This would be especially neces«ary if the Jnpauese were a!lowed to vote.” “How about the Japaoese questiour* “Nothing as yot has beeu decided, but the Japar.ose Governmeut is pressing for the voting surtrage for their subjects here—uot for all, as origina!ly asked for, but for lhose becoming permauent n»sidents of tho islauds. With J«pan it is larg ly a »juestion of >eutim<>nt, as that natiou objects to being tenned Asiatic, as that term is now used. We have two treaties with Japan. One inc!udes the favored-uation clause, another embracos what might bo called the labor-conven-tion clause—that is, m regard to ! the intnxiuction of labor. We enjoy no treaty with Ohina, al-' thongh she has her consular representative here. The Chinese Government has never made any special request in regard to the Ohinese subjects here, but nevertheless we may possibly include Chinese residents of the better class in the list of voters, provided they enjoy the necessary edocational qnnlificationa, i. s mauy already do.” What, in your opinien, ia the

s«ntimect of tbe Cbine«e *nd Japsnese tow»rd the restoration of a «aonarch_v r ’ “The Japane30 and Ohineee enga?ed in ]egitimate emerprises are iritboat donbt in favor of good, pore and bonest govern<nent. Like bosiness men of other nationalities, they wonld favor annexation or a good selfgovcrnment for the islands in eaee of snch decision. Garnb!ers. smogg!ers and lhose intereste«! in lotteries wonld prefer a retnm of the o!d monarcby, of conrse.” “In regard to the opper hon.se, , : or Senate, what will be ths qnalifications'” “Tliat vronld be left also to | popnlar balIot, I presume. Both j as to voters and tbose eligiblc for the Scn te the qnalifications will erabrace a certniu amonnt of taxable pioperty and a specific legi I timate ineome. Formerly to be ;, eligible for the Honse of Nobles • , a man raii!5t have possessed ?3000 ; wortb of taiaV>le property, an in- ■ eome of $000 and bad to be *2ō years of age. Tbe sarne apjdietl to t’ue voter, except as to age, whieh was 20. We mav rai.se the w ; qualifications as to property and •neome in tbe future. The qualifications as to residence may be j ' lengtbened.'' “Will the President be chosen by the Senate?” “1 think not. My belief is that he will be chosen bypopnlar ballot. Tbero will be not, in my opinion, be any ]>roperty restric fions aj>plied to the oilioe of President. Ouly age, j>robably 33 years or over, and a re.sideuce on the islands for a certaiu number of years, and edncational qualifitions. There is a ditference of ojviuion as to the length of tenn of olliee. Sorae advocate fonr or six years vvitbout the privi!ege of tho incumbc-ut to immediately | . succced himself. Others think the dnratiou of oflice of President should be inde(lnite, aud I ara inclined to favor that jiroposition. In that event, as with the English Premier, ujion a vote of 1 j vvant of confidence beiug passed , ibv the House and Senate, the j President must vacate his otlice, i ’ I holding it ouly until his suc ; cessor shall h »va bceu elected.” < “How will the new coustitution ' ' be jvr >clamedf” “My belief is that a constitu iional *convention will be hehl, | delegates to be choson by t!iose in sympatby !|with our present Government. lThis conveution i very likely will also ineliule the l merabers of tho jiresent Govern- I meut. When nssembled the convention will agree on tho new ! ; constitution, whieh will then be ‘ i proclaimed by the execotive. | Among other things, tbis eon1 stitution raay embody a clauseup holding the Provisional Govern- ; ment until the elections shall have been held. lt has beeu saggeste<l that tbere might be a el mso emj>owering tho present Advisory Council to heeome the i I the House or j>art of it. There i are fourteeu members of the j>resent Oouneil. The halanee of the Senate wouhl then be chosen at the same general election when \ tho meml>ers of the lower hoase wouhl be elerted. The terms of those Senators becoming such i by now being members of the Advisory Oouneil, would expire at various intervals. This might be called a safety clause.” “Wliea will tbis constitution , probably be procluimed?’’ “Not until we receive final ad viees from Congress. The eleetions, I do not think, will be held for some tirae after. We have no inteution of actiog hastdy. as the bnsiness community. as a rule, ! are satisfied with our preseut | gover ment.” “Is there any danger of au ap^iain^?" “I think not. The new eon- | stitution will embrace a pcpular . form of government, and that is what the uatives are cIamoring for. ” “Snppose the new Govemment shonld be in favor of monarchy?” “Such will not be the case. Besides the constitation wonld I embrace a olause making it nnconstitotional to return to or to | advocate monarchy.’ J “Has any foreign power recognized the present Government as a goverument de jare?” “Rassia has. Ail other nations recognize us &s a de iioto Gor- t emmect Uniil the new creden ■■■■■■■■■■■

— ; . " tials to tbe French Coaiai!ssioner sball aave arriv«*d I do not kno«r what position Fmoce intends to ' assntne.” ‘'Sappose Congres3 assnmed the attitude that the United Statos wii; wash her han<ls of the entire atfair. leaving the Kawaiian lslands t<> take care of tbemselves, bat looking towurd the interferenee on the part o( anv other foreign power as an act onfriendly towards tae United States, tben whut >- ' ‘ We shoa!d then feel that we could do we pleased. We woold not recognize the rightt>f the United Siates to dictate to us. We wonhl fecd at liberty to deal with any foreign power as we might see fit, whether we shonld wish to muke an exclosive commercial treaty, wbether vre shonld reqoest aunesation or a protectorate from any other nation. We feel that we have m.ade a frank proposiil to the United States for a poliiieal union. lf she refuses we feel at liberty to look elsewhere for the same or any other ccarse if we should so decide.” "How nbout the cession of Fearl harbor to tlie United States. V' ‘ I am glad that you have asked me that questiou. The treaty made with the Uuited States expires the latter part of this yesr. Upon the expiration of tbat treaty we need only give twelve mouth’s notice to the United States to vacato after whieh we wouKl feel free to cede it to any other foreign powers. I know that American statesmen unofficially huve questioned this r»ght, looking upon the cossion as a penmineut one, but I think it was secretary Bayard who in his officially capacity took the grouud that all obligations on our part euds with the treaty now iu force.”