The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-05-03
ANDCONVENTON
ORGANIZING THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
A Lively Meeting in the Drill Shed Last
Night-A Program That Went by the
Board

Z "
gatherings Honolulu has seen for many
a day. 1t was the first real beginning
of American politics on the Hawaiian
Islands and, showing that Honolulu is
not behind the times, there was a pro-
gram and there were citizens on hand
to smash it, in which intention they
were decidedly successful. But though
the fight was sharp there was little bit
| terness, and after 1t was over both sides
were well mixed up in a committee
which was appointed to carry out the
work preliminary to the calling of pri-
maries for a convention.
The audience was a thoroughly rep
resentative one. 1t was probably the
largest audience of business men that
has gathered together in Honolulu since
the days of the annexation campaign.
There was only a small suggestion of
what American politicians call
| gang" On one side of the hall a
crowd of men who had a decidedly wa
ter front appearance, came early and
occupied many of the few seats there
were, and politicians Lewis and Turk
were conspicuously active among them.
! Clarence Crabbe, as chairman of the
! existing Republican club here, called
! the meeting to order. George A. Davis
nominated Cecil Brown for chairman,
! and Brown was unanimously oelected.
| 1t was here that the idea of a program
began to suggest itself Mr.. Crabbe
was chosen secretary, and Mr.. Brown
drew from his pocket a list of vice
presidents, and what seemed to be an
! order of proceedings for the evening.
! The vice presidents were elected, by
unanimous vote. There was something
of litter at the typewriter documents
/ in evidence on the platform. 1t was
/ increased to general laughter when K.
| r. G.. Wallace rose to ask to whom
! three of the absent vice presidents had
addressed letters of regret that they
I could not be present. T. McCants
! Stewart pressed the inquiry, and it ap-
peared that the absentees had written
letters addressed to Cecil Brown
chairman, and the Republican mass
meeting" One of the letters was dated
May l, or a day before the writer was
made vice president, or the recipient
was made chairman. The vice presi-
dents chosen were S. Parker, Paul Neu-
mann, d. v. Murray, w. c. Achi, s.
NJ. Bauou, j. Fl Boyd, j. l.. Kauiukou,
A V. Gear, A. N. Kepoikai, f. J. Ber-
ry, r. d. Silliman, w. II. Rice, p. c..
Jones' Letters of regret were read from
p. c. Jones, r. d. Silliman and Paul
Neumann. All expressed the strongest
support of the plan to organize the Re-
publican party, Mr.. Jones stating that,
although he had been a Democrat. he
had changed his views, and believed the
Republican party to be the one that all
citizens of the territory of Hawaii
should favor.
The chairman called upon II. NJ.
Sewall for an address. Mr.. Sewall spoke
first of the benefits Hawaii has received
from the Republican policy of anneXa- =
ton and expansion, and he was round
| ly applauded when he said that the
party of Mckinley was the one for Ha-
waiians. AS to local politics, he de-
clared that 1t was too late, rather than
too early for the organization of the
party, and that 1t was time for all mem
hers of the party to get together. "We
would have an end of the political fueds
that have so long disrupted the politics
of the Islands," said Mr. Sewall. 1--WE
must be no more part Hawaiian and
part American. We must be all Amer
lean. The time has come when a party
cannot be built on threats or on extra
VACANT promises that cannot be carried
out. If there is anyone here who wants
to suppress or debase the votes of any
class, or to win supremacy of any race
or color, this meeting is not the place
for him. The Republican party has
ever stood for free ballot and a faiI
count, without distinctions on account
of race, color or previous conditions
of servitude." Mr.. SewalIs remarks
about the need of sinking fueds and
joining in harmony were loudly ap-
plauded.
the chairman, and many voices in the
hall, but he had left the meeting tenn
porarily. A. G.. M. Robertson was
called upon. He devoted his address tC
the reasons why the Republican party
should have the allegiance OF all who
desire the prosperity of the Hawaiian
Islands.
The next speaker called upon by
the chairman was T. McCants Stewart
Mr.. Stewards address contained the
first hint of disposition to question
the proceedings that had been taken
He referred to the mysterious yet ex-
cellent influences" that had managed
the meeting, and was a bit sarcastic
about the diversity OF the reputed pol
itical views Of the vice presidents. He
had longed for a day when he might
see men of all political parties on the
same platform, working for the good OF
Hawaii and now 1t had almost come. A
reference to the fact that a member OF
the Court of Claims sat on the platform
with two members of the Council of
State aroused a storm OF laughter and
applause.
w. c. Achi Judge Kepoikai and Sam
Parker completed the list Of speakers
Mr.. Achl spoke first in Hawaiian and
later in English. He referred to one
local paper as trying to mieead Ha-
waiars, and said that care should be
taken TO teach them American politics
and political affairs. judge KcODOil,ai
said that there was danger that the
Democratic party would take the Ha-
Waiian vote on account Of reports that
ut favored rcstOrn tiOn, but that this Waa
q mistake. Mr.. Parker stated his holia1
in the Republican party. Tho three
naive speakers We're an rourdly ape
plauded.
The real business Of the meeting be-
gan when IG. G. Winston offered a rag-