The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-11-23
WILCOX SAYS LOEBENsTEIN is A
SORE HEAD.
Solicited Support of Independents But
Was Turned Down-What Wilcox
Says of His own Career.

Congressman Elect Robert w. Will
cox does not feel any apprehension
over the antagonism of A. b. Loeben-
stein of Hawaii and A. n. KepoiSai of
Maui, who have formed an alliance to
try and prevent his being seated in the
House of Representatives.
'All that is the matter with Loeben-
stein" said Mr.. Wilcox this morning,
lis he is sore headed. When we were
over on Hawaii he wanted to get us to
su00ort him for the Legislature. He
urged our party there to stand in and
help elect him and he would aid our
party but we would have nothing 20 do
with him so now he is mad. As to
Mr., Kepoikai, L suppose he was in
duced to sign the petition papers by
Loebenstein.
But all of this sort of thing will have
no effect in Washington. The people
there will not pay any attention to it.
In the first place the charge is based
upon mere technical point and is not
worth consideration. The people there
want a representative from Hawaii and
they want one who was elected by the
people, one who comes from them and
can be the true representative of the
Hawaiians. Congress will not bother
about trying to unseat such a repre-
sentative after he has been elected
The efforts of Mr.. Loebenstein are
IlulCulOuS anu VIII De SO Regarded L
think by the people back there. have
too many friends in Washington to feel
worried over the outcome of this con-
| test.
"Loebensten speaks of wanting to
tell of my political and private char
| acter and standing. Ever since these
| islands were annexed l have observed
| the American laws and have been a
! good American citizen. Whatever l
might have done before then is a mat
ter with which the United States has
nothing to do. In the revolution of
! 1895 the idea was to get the upper hand
as Congress had tacitly agreed to recog-
nize the party which got in power.
when we were imprisoned and sem
fenced to. death, Minister Willis re-
| quested that the sentence be deferred
until he could communicate with Con-
gress. This he did and when the Sem
ate and Congress heard of the propos-
| ed execution the greatest Indignation
was felt and an American warship was
| sent over here to prevent our eXecu-
tion. The sentence was commuted and
l was finally pardoned and restored to
| the rights of citizenship
II have since felt most grateful to
| Congress for that prompt and just ac-
| ton for 1 considered that it saved my
| live and feeling as 1 do 1 would GER
tainly not offer myself as a member
CT that body did not believe myself
TO be worthy of the high position.
zone thing more in regard to my po-
! litical character. Whatever alleged
offences or crimes I might have COM
mitted against the Hawaiian Republic
were pardoned and IL the country
| against which they were committed
saw fit to forgive them certainly the
United States is not going to concern
itself with that matter when it was
not directed in the slightest manner
agains the American government. As
a matter of fact l was the first Ha-
waiian to volunteer for the Spanish war
when thou0ht the United States want
| ed my services.
Regarding my private character
| and standing I will say that they are
certainly as good and better than Mr..
Loebenstein's. Indeed, from what /
| hear of him 1 would think would be the
! last person to set himself up as any
model of morality"