The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-12-14
CONDITIONS WERE The SANE.

CONDITIONS WERE The SANE.
IN its article on the elections in
Hawai- ard Porto Rico. prjsted in an.
Other column. the philadelphia Press
while seemingly familiar with the con
dig1us in Porto Rico. ignores the fact
that similar conditions exist in Tia
wait It saws that Mr. Dagetan. the
newly elected delegate to congress
from Porto RICO. represented the mess
fresh admitted TO suffrage. the now
element In politics. Il it had said ex-
actiy the same thing in reference 70
Hawaii it would have expressed the
case as it Is. The election of Wilcox
was only to be expected under the cir
Cumstances. 1t was an expression ,of
the revolt of the people against the
onc-man power in government which
had SO long existed here. Even under
the monarchy the missionaries were
in control and they forced the mon
arch TO SO restrict the suffrage with
IS own people that the foreign Gle
ment could remain in control
Under the provisional government
and the republic these restrictions
were made even more strict than oe
fore. This is shown By the fact that
AT the last legislative election nnder
the old condition Of affairs less than
$500 votes We're cast in the entire
territory Il was minority government
pure and simple. and in opposing mu-
nicipai and county government this
element in Hawaii propose to continue
minority government II they can. Tn
der the Organic Act the franchise was
extended TO all who could speak. read
and wr,e either the English or Ha-
waIian language. Under this provision
nearly 10000 voters registered and
the total vote cast at the election in
November was over $500.
Smartins under what they believed
TO be the wrongs inflicted by this mi
nority rule, the Hawaiians refused TO
ally themselves with either of the par.
ties formed in afhliation with main
land politics and organized an indie
pendent Home Rule party. Their cry
throughout the campaign was. Give
us home rule; give us local control
of our own auairs. and in this they
were joined by very many white men
who rebelled at the old order of things.
Much OF this feeling could have been
overcome had President Mckinley
been guarded by good political sense
instead of sentiment in appointing the
Governor OF the Territory of Hawaii.
Governor Dole stood as the representa-.
tive Of what is known locally as the
family compact that is, close corpo.
ration. which has run the government
OF these islands as il saw fit. regard.
less OF the wish of the majority. While
Mr.. Dole is personally held in high
esteem. he stood as the representative
Of the system and the voters felt that
tne only way to break up that system
Was TO elect men having no connec-
ton with the family compact. whether
lined up for the recent campaign as
republicans or democrats. and there.
fore they cast their votes for the can.
didates of the Independent Home Rule
marty including Uilcox
II is TO be regretted that they a,d
not select better man than Wilcox
TO represent Hawaii as delegate to
congress, but when people have n
grievance. such as the people of Ha.
wsii believed that they had. the best
man is not always selected TO lead.
Their overwhelming majority in the
legislature. having twenty OF the thirty
members OF the house and nine OF the
Fifteen members OF the senate. shows
that the cry for home rule was needed
by the people and that they mean 10 |
have home rule for the various islands
and cities OF the group regardless OF |
the efforts of the old regime. which
means the family compact. to defeat |
IT In this they are working for the |
best good OF an the people.
The people of Porto Rico reyolted /
asains, the old Office holding class /
which had been Instrumental in re-
s1rie'ins the franchise so as to per.
petaate themselves in Office regardless
OF The wishes OF the rank and file OF
the intelligent electorate. The PEG.
pie OF Hawaii did exactly the same
thing That's the whole question in
nutshell