Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 159, 10 July 1894 — The Hawaiian Constitution. [ARTICLE]

The Hawaiian Constitution.

Republican organs have given but very little discussion to the constitution under which the new Republic of Hawaii is to be run by a handful of foreigners, naturalized and otherwise. They do not seem to be proud of it and dismiss the subject with the remark that the constitution is largely modeled after our own, which is about as untrue as anything could be. The Hawaiian constitution makers begin by declaring in a roundabout way that all political power comes from God, while our constitution assumes that it comes from the people. Citizenship is subjected to both an educational and a property test. Free speech is limited to the expression of assent to what Mr. Dole and the provisional government have done and may do; dissent is treason. The natives are nearly all excluded from participation in elections and so are the Chinese. The instrument is framed with the so!e view of keeping in office the coterie of foreigners whom President Harrison installed. The government will be that of a very small minority. There is little doubt that the constitution will be adopted by “the people’’ by which is understood a small number of men whom the provisional government will allow to vote on it. Whether the people of Hawaii will submit to it very long is another question.—The Souyh West.