The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-17

'iohS- AMERICAN politics are to me the
same as they are to great many peo-
PIE mere VINO have never voted them.
l nave not mad any active participation
IN politlcs. l hope before long we will
al understand and digest the principles
Vi the democratic party, and have no
douDt but that the Democratic party
VIII nave large following in the con-
duct or affairs in this Territory in the
future. 1 have not formed anv slate
IN connection with this meeting. as if
is only preliminary meeting for the
Democrats of Honolulu to get acouaint
ed with each other
E. B. McClanahan Talks
E. B. McClanahan was the first speak
er of the evening called upon. He said:
Mr.. Chairman, l feel some diffidence in
taking Democratic principles in your
presence, for | believe that long before
| knew anything about this world. DR.
McGrew knew all about Democratic prin-
ciples; But l assure you, gentlemen, L
nave boldness in approaching you as a
Democrat and speaking to you of the
principles OF which l know. This is an
honor to you and an honor to me, that
we are here tonight in this, the first
meeting which the Democrats are to
hold When We have gone on through
life, we will look back at this meeting
in the fact that we have attended a
meeting of this kind 1t is strange
meeting and a strange condition that
concerns the people of this country. Most
all OF the HaWaiianS who are here on
the Threshold of the new political life
find it new to them. They have not en-
tered yet either door which stands open
for them. They have not made up their
minds which way to turn and it is not
to be wondered at.
am indeed surprised to see so many
ITsa.r to-. l..
which way TO turn, and that question
must be decided by them before long
So it seems to me it is a compliment 10
the good sense of those who are hesitat-
ing in this matter that there are among
us tonight those that have not decided
in their minds what party they viii be-
long to. | think it is an omen of the
common sense of a man that he does not
jump at one conclusion, and ignore the
other, before making up his mind. This
reminds me of the story my father used
to tell. He was in Arkansas travelling
with two attorneys. They were out fish
ing, and stopped at tavern in the noun
tains that was presided over by a worthy
old gentleman, After the supper was
thing going on in the village to while
away the time, and he replied that there
was a debating society which was to
meet, and he would like to have the
three attend. So they betook themselves
to the school-house later in the evening"
and there found the old tavern keeper
over the meeting.
Horse and Cow-Both Win.
The question of the debate was wheth-
er the COW was more useful than the
horse. 1t was suggested that one of the
lawyers take the affirmat tive side and the
other the negative side, and the chair
man was to decide the question. One of
the attorneys opened the debate, and as
he waXed eloquent over the COW, he saw
that the chairman was getting uneasy
on his chair, and moved about nervously,
and he saw, as he warmed up to his
subject, that he had the chairman. Sud
denly the chairman jumped up exclaim-
ing, There is no use talking any more
about it, gentlemen, the COW has it,
OF course the other attorney immedi-
ately protested, and said he had not been
heard yet and desired a hearing of his
side of the question. He was spurred on
by the difficulties of his Undertaking, and
he was more than eloquent on the virtues
of the horse over the COW, and soon he
to his side. Again the chairman jumped
to his feet, and said, Gentlemen, the
horse has it."
So after you have heard the virtues of
the Democratic party, | hope those of
you who are undecided will say for him
self. Il will follow the Democratic par
ty." | think l voice the sentiment of
most Democrats when l say 1 don't be-
leve that the Democratic party have
had a fair chance to be heard in this
town. We have no newspaper, and all
we have done is to sit by and calmly
await events. We have not precipitated
our actions, and | think the doubling
Thomases will bear with me when | say
we have not been unduly anxious for
their suffrage.
l confess that 1 am somewhat diffdent
in my role teacher. But you will bear
with me, / know, and l will do the best
| can to tell you what 1 know of the
Democratic party; l assure you that be-
hind me is patriarch of the Democratic
party, and if / make mistakes l am sure
to h. tal
while of the differences that exist main
ly between the Democratic party and the
Republican party, but | say to you there
are only few marked differences.
Democrats VS.. Republicans.
You will find them; they are clearly
marked; but the number of them has been
multiplied, simply to meet the exigen-
cies of political wire-pulling and vote
catching. L will speak of one of the
clearly defined differences as l see ii,
between the Democratic party and the
Republican party. Perhaps we don't all
know that the Democratic party was once
called the Republican party. In the
times of Thomas jefferson, that great
man who framed and penned the Decla-
ration of Independence, our name was a.
different one, and to that party we owe
our birth And so when the Republican
party was not yet dreamed OF. much less
thought of, the Democratic party was
ruling this country of ours, or, rather,
should say the United States of Amer
lea. and had ruled it for almost half
century. 1t was in 1856 that the Republi-
can party became a party at all, and
that was the time when slavery existed
in the United States, and was the great
political question, and it was because of
that question that the Republican party
was formed. And so when you hear our
principles derided and laughed at, and
scorned, and when you hear that If you
trust the Democratic party you Will
mark out your own ruin, just remember
that for over hundred years the Dem
ocratic party has existed unchanged
through all those years.
/ro..iz,1a - ~ o.