While the
municipal laws of the islands not enacted for the fulfillment of
treaties and not inconsistent with the joint resolution or contrary to
the Constitution of the United States or any of its treaties remain in
force, yet these laws relate only to the social and internal affairs of
the islands, and do not touch many subjects of importance which are
of a broader national character. For example, the Hawaiian Republic
was divested of all title to the public lands in the islands, and is
not only unable to dispose of lands to settlers desiring to take up
homestead sites, but is without power to give complete title in cases
where lands have been entered upon under lease or other conditions which
carry with them the right to the purchaser, lessee, or settler to have a
full title granted to him upon compliance with the conditions prescribed
by law or by his particular agreement of entry.
Questions of doubt and difficulty have also arisen with reference to
the collection of tonnage tax on vessels coming from Hawaiian ports;
with reference to the status of Chinese in the islands, their entrance
and exit therefrom; as to patents and copyrights; as to the register
of vessels under the navigation laws; as to the necessity of holding
elections in accordance with the provisions of the Hawaiian statutes
for the choice of various officers, and as to several other matters of
detail touching the interests both of the island and of the Federal
Government.
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