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<br /> • GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE NO. 1 361
<br /> his seat be declared vacant, and the Governor be re- Alexander Castro Tom T. Okino
<br /> quested to fill the vacancy in the manner provided by law. Frank C. Luiz Harold S. Roberts
<br /> —April 18, 1950 Chuck Mau Arthur K. Trask
<br /> Benjamin O. Wist, J. Garner Anthony Frederick Ohrt Arthur D. Woolaway
<br /> Chairman Marguerite K. Ashford
<br /> S. Governor's Messages
<br /> GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE NO. 1 The people of Hawaii have shown skill and ability in
<br /> local self-government. For more than one hundred years
<br /> I wish to welcome the members of this Convention and Hawaii has had constitutional government and for approxi-
<br /> assure you that I will be only too glad to assist you in any mately 50 years the Territory has had complete local self-
<br /> way within my power. government except for the appointment of the Governor,
<br /> Today is a momentous day in the history of Hawaii,a the Secretary, and the Judges. The Legislature has exer-
<br /> day looked forward to by the people of Hawaii since the cised general legislative power, subject only to the restric-
<br /> Newlands Resolution of 1898 which effected the admission tions of the Organic Act and the United States Constitution.
<br /> of Hawaii to the United States. The Newlands Resolution The Territory is a modern unit with an economic, social
<br /> contemplated an Organic Act which would complete the in- and political status of the highest order. It is and has been
<br /> corporation of Hawaii as an integral part of the United States, for many years entirely self-supporting,paying all the ex-
<br /> This was enacted in April 1900 and under it Hawaii resem- penses of the Territory and County governments except the
<br /> bles in every respect the territories created in continental salaries of the legislators and those officers appointed by
<br /> United States by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and other the President.
<br /> acts setting up territorial governments as a preliminary to The people have shown a keen interest in public affairs
<br /> statehood. with a larger percentage of registered voters voting in
<br /> By the Organic Act of 1900 giving Hawaii territorial elections than in any state in the Union.
<br /> status,Congress then and there commited the United States As long ago as 1937 a congressional committee found
<br /> to the ultimate granting of statehood to Hawaii. A long line that`Hawaii has fulfilled every requirement for statehood
<br /> of decisions of the United States Supreme Court sets out heretofore exacted of territories'but recommended a
<br /> `the ephemeral nature of a territorial government' and plebescite of the voters be held. Such a plebescite was held
<br /> statehood as the ultimate destiny of a territory. Mr. Justice in 1940 with two-thirds of the votes for statehood.
<br /> White, in Downs v. Biddle, said`Since the constitution pro- In December 1941 came the outbreak of World War H
<br /> vides for the admission by Congress of new states, it pro- with an attack on Hawaii. The Territory had set up a full
<br /> perly may be said that the outlying continental public domain, scale organization for civilian defense which went into
<br /> of which the United States was the proprietor, was, from the immediate action on December 7th. In less than two hours
<br /> beginning, destined for admission as a state or states into after the attack, civilian first-aid units, well equipped and
<br /> the Union; that as a preliminary step towards that afore- well staffed, were in active service. The Civilian Defense
<br /> ordained end—to tide over the period of ineligibility—Con- also had on hand a blood bank which saved the lives of
<br /> gress, from time to time,created territorial governments, hundreds of our wounded soldiers and sailors.
<br /> the existence of which was necessarily limited to the period The record of Hawaii throughout the dark days that fol-
<br /> of pupilage.' Again, this same court has pointed out"a lowed December 7th bespeaks the loyalty,fortitude and
<br /> territory under the constitution and laws of the United States energy of its people. When the history of that period is
<br /> is an inchoate state.' written the activities of the civilian volunteers, men and
<br /> During the 50 years that Hawaii has been a part of the women, will be a record of which Hawaii may be justly proud.
<br /> United States, 50 years of pupilage, Hawaii has increased and Our citizens of every race and every color also served in
<br /> developed in wealth and in population so that under the last the armed services,Army, Navy and Marine Corps, in the
<br /> census it exceeded four states in population,was comparable Merchant Marine, and in war work of every kind and de-
<br /> to four other states,and had an assessed value in property scription. The roll of Hawaii's honored dead throughout the
<br /> greater than any state at the time of admission, with the ex- word is proof positive of the loyalty of Hawaii's sons and
<br /> ception of Oklahoma, their patriotism was not measured by the color of their
<br /> I need not review for you Hawaii's economic development skin. Our populations tested by the fire of battle and the
<br /> but in addition to its economic development Hawaii is in trials of war,both at home and abroad, were not found want-
<br /> every respect a modern community, maintaining a high ing.
<br /> standard in government service. It has a high standard of The war threw more light upon the loyalty and patriotism
<br /> health and for a number of years has had a lower death rate of our population than the many preceding years of peace,
<br /> than any state in the Union. The maternal mortality rate and settled for all time a question that had been the cause of
<br /> has been less than that of the average mainland state for the concern to many sincere democratic citizens who honestly
<br /> last seven years; it is continuing to decline. Our schools questioned whether children of non-Caucasian parents, of
<br /> are well equipped and well attended; our teachers are far alien cultures, of alien religions, of many races, could be
<br /> better paid than the average teachers in mainland United truly knit by a common idealism into a nation. The situation
<br /> States schools. Hawaii has progressive labor laws and a here had no precedent in the older states where the alien
<br /> well-organized Department of Labor. It has an apprentice- population in such states had the same religions,customs,
<br /> ship program,a child labor law, a minimum wage and maxi- habits and ways of thinking, more or less common with that
<br /> mum hours work law, and workmen's compensation laws, of its citizens. No state had had to absorb and deal with a
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