The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-09-16
THURSDAY. SEPT. 16. 1856.
GIVE US A NEW ELECTION LAW.

House, yesterday forenoon, III iaNor
of an improved election law, was
pointed and uncquivocal, and no
less sound and sensible. 1t was n
contribution to the cause of reform,
having special value coming from
the side of the house supposed to he
less inclined to measures of that
particular nature. The gentleman
gave utterance to plain and un-
polished truth relative to the abuses
at the last elections. They were,
said he, more corrupt than ever
before. This is confirmation of
an oft-reiterated statement, which
has been as often denied by inter-
ested parties. The confirmation
coming from member of the party
making the denial, gives it signal
significance. Mr.. Aholo did not
think that either the Government
side or the Opposition could dis
count one another in the abuses
practised. Intelligent observers
who took no part in the. campaign,
and viewed the strife from an emf
nence outside the contending par
ties, with little or no sympathy for
either, are of opinion that the
balance of crookedness was largely
in favor of the winning side, and
that its victory was mainly due to
corrupt practices. AT the same
time, they hold that it is Il perver-
sion of truth to say the Opposition
were blameless, and had no recourse
to practices ola questionable nature.
That there were candidates in the
opposition or Independent party
who used improper means is con-
clusively proven. That there were
also candidates in the same party
too honorable to avail themselves of
dishonorable and illegal eXpedients
is fact that no amount of denial
can change into falsehood. 1t is
believed that had the Opposition
gone to the same depths of corrup-
ton as the party favoring the Gov
ernment, the majority would have
been on the other side of the
House.
Be this as it may, anyone who
knows anything of Hawaiian cleo.
tions knows that they are subject tc
shameful abuses. Period after
period they have grown worse an(
worse, until they have reached :
stage of shameless corruption, the
contemplation of which makes AZ
honorable man shudder. The bri
berry, the trickery, the debauchery
is something shockingly disgraceful
The injury done to the Hawaiian
people by the corrupt practices o
the last elections is incalculable
The decentralization engendere'
thereby and then, are apparent now
seven ..or eight months afte, tn
event, and will be for many mont
to come.
Is there no remedy for this evil
Is it to continue unchecked? Is tn
law under which such degradin
practices are possible to regulat
the next election? 1t is to b
hoped not. Everybody is inter
ested, or should be interested, i
securing the enactment of law
make elections as pure as possible
1t is not, or should not be, part
question. If any measure shoul
secure unanimity of vote in I'll
house, surely one of this natul
ought. There is no room for tw
opinions here. Every patriot, ever
honest man, every respectable vote
every loyal citizen, every law-abit
ing resident wants clean voting an
pure elections, and would fave
Legislation aiming at this objec
Unprincipled politicians might pref'
the continuance of a lax statute
which enables them to secure set
in the legislative hall by corruptin
the simple and tractable voters
But surely Hawaii has not ye
degenerated so low as to allow he
legislation to be controlled by thi
class of personsl
True, it is late in the session t.
bring forward new measure of S
comprehensive nature as an cleo
tion bill adapted to the condition