The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-01-09
Light Wanted on a Dark Subject

Tuesdays ADVERTISER, with care
and with no little interest. The pro-
positions therein contained are I'M
denlably sound, and Will be generally
acouiesced in politicians, even, OF
bad kind being, IA u rule, quite ready
to endorse any general statements of
sound doctrine, reserving TO them
selves the right TO make their own
particular applications of them. But,
with general election of incalculable
Importance less than four weeks
ahead, and no visible preparations
made on the part of those who can
fairly claim TO be the friends of good
government, 1t seems to me the time
has fully come for something more
definite and specific than the
laying down OF general principles,
however excellent. 1t would seem as
If the great historical and practical
question" What are you going to do
about it ?n--was never more strictly
in order than here, and now. The Re-
form party is the one, and, as every
one knows, the only political organ
ization in the country whose acts, as
well as its professions, are on record
as in favor of good government.
Whatever professions and protesta-
lions other parties and factions may
make in that line, their acts, public
and undeniable, give the lie to any
such claim. The demagogues of the
defunct National Reform party, who
are making such noisy and ostenta-
tious declarations of good intentions,
pure motives, and desire for the
right conduct of public affairs are
simply denying their own notorious
records, stultifying themselves, and
insulting the public intelligence. To
mention names would be superfluous.
In view of these and similar we'll
known facts, it seems pertinent to
ask what has become of the Reform
party, and why, even at this late
date, has ii neither entered the field
nor taken any steps towards doing
so? This question has been much in
mems mouths of late, it is being
asked with increasing anxiety and
growing Impotence, and it seems
high time that some one should ask
it publicly. The Reform party, in
Honolulu at least, claims to be an
open aud not secret organization.
Il
open to all men who endorse its
policy and support its candidates, and
its members are supposed to have,
through the machinery provided for
that purpose, voice in it's manage
ment and in the selection of its can
didates. 1t consists of an association
or club in each of the five representa-
tive districts into which Honolulu is
divided, and the general executive |
business is entrusted to a central COM |
mittee of fifteen members, three from |
each of the said districts. Its nomin- |
ating conventions as well as it's CEN
trail committee are all chosen pub
licly; each member of the district |
organization having, if he chooses to |
exercise it, an equal voice and vote |
in their selection. Finally, it's NOM |
mating conventions have always met |
openly, transacting their business
and choosing their candidates in the |
presence of any and all who might
wish to attend; not in secret conclave |
and with locked doors, as was done |
by their opponents.
Now it may be said "yOu are not in
the swim," and you do not know
what is being done quietly and below
the surface, or that it has been
DSSb
stances to keep in the background and
saries have shown their hand more
fully. Without stopping to discuss
the merits of the policy suggested,
may say that if such a course has
been decided upon it has not been
by anyone who has any authority or
right to dictate the party policy or
decide any such questions. If the
Central Committee, after duly con-
sidering the matter, had decided upon
the course above mentioned, those who
think differently might reasonably
acquiecse even if they did not approve.
But though | sam not in the swim,n
I happen to know, as do many others,
that the Central Committee, so far
from deciding upon anything of the |
kind, has never even met, and thus
far no meeting has been called. For
lack of such action the reform organi
cation lies paralyZed. The district |
associations do not meet and there is |
no body outside of the Central Com |
mittee authorized to take the initial |
steps towards calling a convention |
and making nominations.
This extraordinary state of affairs
cannot fail to raise the suspicion that |
the REFORM party IS DelnS IreaCller-
ously dealt with by those who have
been entrusted with it's management.
The evidence may not be quite con-
elusive that such is the case, or suffi-
cient to bring home to particular in
,;ividuals the charge of intentional
bad faith, but the well known facts
are so very peculiar and all point 50
clearly in the one direction that such
q theory is not only the most natural
but almost the only possible one. 1t
is very difficult to resist the cOnclu-
sion that certain self constituted lead
ders have secured a ''pull'' which en-
ables them to prevent any action
being taken by the Central Commit
tee until such time as may suit their
own personal and political interests.
To point out just where the ''pulP'
probably comes in would not be diff
cult, but I wish to avoid personalities.
"Vague, unpleasant rumors," not
always so vague either, have certain
~ been current for a considerable
time past concerning some kind of
secret and underhanded arrangement
being made, or proposed or intended
to be made, between certain self
appointed representatives of the Re-
form party and the leaders of some of
the numerous factions resulting from
the disintegration of that fearful and
wonderful condemnation formerly