Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 135, 9 June 1894 — THE AMERIGAN LEAOUE. [ARTICLE]

THE AMERIGAN LEAOUE.

The Proposed Constifation doesn't Snit the Men From Whom Dole takes Anthority Tbe hall of the American Le.igue was not over-crowd lasted night when President Murray calie<J the meeting to order. The object of the raeeling, be stated, whs to discnss the proposed eousitution and hear opinions in resard to the merits of the instrainent. Two meetiugs for ciosed doors had been held for the s-Hme purpK>se and the League bad sent a resolntion U» the Convention in whieh a strong objection to the bigh qnalifications for voters for senators whs pronouncetl. Mr. D. B. Smith. the represeutHtive of the LeaguiS~‘ i in the couveution ivould present the resolution and it whs to be that it wouhl be heeded. ! T’be L°Hgne als«> objected to tbe dauses pertiining to the eleetion of thc President. A four vears term was snfficient an<l bo should be e!ected by a popular vote. The heads of the departments shonld also be eleoted, and not ap]>ointed as provided io the dr.<ft. Preai<lent Murray theu 0}>ened the meetmg ( and called on J. Quinn. who responded by h leugthy address: Qninn, who was received w;th applause. eraphasized in a vigori ous speech the right of the people to rnle. He expounded the American principles of self-gov-erment, and denounoed the projK>sed constitution, although he eouhl see ono or two good clanses in it. He approved of the restriction of Asiatics, but that eUuae had been changed also,the original provision for naturalization, but that had been altered for the worse. It was supposed that on the secoud reading the term of eight years quu proposed for the President wouhl beamended,but it wastime uow for the people to be heard. Mr. Dole is a man for whom all lias respect, but how does be know tbat he will live eight years. There was too mneh power in the hauds of the President. The proposed government wouhl not be a popular gover;iment in an Americmsense. D. B Sroith was Ihe only man * who had opposed the anpopnlar method of electing a president. ’ n u<i he had dropped his oppoai ' tion Hiid fallen into liue. The s|»eaker wks sorrv for that—for ' Smitb. The proposed constitntiou WHiis't a bit better than the old ’ one. Why sbouhl not the people | elect officers of the goverument’ ' : That was what had been fought fur in vnin for years under the raonarchy. Now when a republiean government was to be framed, the aaine non American principles prevajl. It made every s Araerican, every man, b!ush with * shame. Why should these men 1 pass constitntional rules to ap1 point marshals. etc? Let the people elect them. aud let them start right now. Tbe elHuae pro- ? ; viding for a permanencv of an J advisory eouneil with raore power *, thau the legis!ature, was the most damnabie proposition What will be the nse of alegislature when a i body like the pri>posed advisory eonneil ean nndo, at its sweet * will, tbe work done by the repre- * 1 seutatives of tbe people? That is * Ihe "crowning outrage in the proposed draft. The Aostralian 1 j baliot system was good enongb J and had worked well. It was not ’ j the plaee of a constitutional eon1 vention to make eleeiion reguiaJ j tions. If the proposed eonstitution is passed tbe * Amenpan League and many 1 j others wiil protest. If tbe present ’ i government does aot give the peo- ' ple aome rights we will tnrn * | tbem out. While tbe Le*gue J sapports tbe government and the couvention tbey must take warnl ‘ J ' ing. Mr. Qu;nn then told an Al3 maoae story and was loudly ap- '! plauded. J. L. Carter, who is tbe Serj geant-of-anns prorais©d lbat tbe i convention vouid impro«e in * - conduot and make everytbing - *lngbt. Tbo qaalifications for \ Toter» bad alxeady been araended » and voald be amend«d agaio. He \ admitted tbat he poeseased lbe

essence of »elS,«hnesa ,*nd beli«Ted in banging on to what the party had got The speeker tben gare • lecture on American pol- ; itics and explained how Clevelaml was elected by a popnlar rote althoogh Harrison had been elected by the IUlitorial college. He proposed to look facts straigbt in the face, and admit thftt anything pnt to a popn!ar Tote by them wonld be defeated. We h»reiī t got the people with as. »nd īf anytbing was anbmitteil where wonId we eome in? He apv*n>Ted of the eleeiion of Preaident. thongh. by a popnl.ir vote. The speaker honestly did not believe that the con<titution was of any ase. becanse we i»re boond to be annexe\l I f he wasn t snre of that he wonKl uot approve of the draft. Mr. J. V iv«s was the oevt sj>e iker. He was too democratic, he sai»l. to spe.tk from the plat- . form and preferred to stard un the lloor. He saw none of his countr\men in the hall evcept one. and he even perhaps did not vote for him. (Mr. A ierra. “for vou no, no, neverl ’) The draft, he coutinned was bad. but it was something to go by. In its present foim, tue constitution would never l>e adopted. It was niore fit for South America tban for Hawaii. The men who fre.mei.l it voto against tbeir own draft lt is too early to condonin and criticiso it. though. He wonld do all he coold to amend the dr.»ft. Mr. JiH> Emerson knewnothing about Republican govornmenta, because all his life he had lived 1 under a monarchy. He would ask the andience to rememl»er tbeir aunts and sisters. and give a frjtnchise for the women. The women are to tho front. They are captains of stoamboats, they are parsons, doctors, lawyers in. fact, they are ready to take in anythmg. They should vota. If not at onee, tben bv aml by wheu they get ieady. A clause should be inserted in tbe constitution that a franchise eouhl be granted our aunts iu a year or so. Let all help along. E. Towso advocated tbe fran- ; chi.se for wonieu. He satiri/ed Mr. Quiun and the other statesmen who know all aboot constij tutions. and then he launched on a lengthy lecture on American politics. Ho approved of the new contitution. The Hawaiiana stootl in the same positions as tlie negroes in tbo South. The ordinary politician is in the habitof smoothing the Hawaiinns. He didu't do thut. He elaimed o(>enIy that tbe Huwaiinns are ' uot fit for self-govornraent. Presideut Mnrr.»y cloaed the meeting as several speakers bad not appeared on nccount of ' attending the meeting of the Councils