The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-04-19
GOOD REPUBLICANIsM.

Merely to call themselves Independ-
ent Home Rule Republicans does not
make the Home Rule party Republican.
If there is to be fusion with the Repub
lican party, the local organization will
have to be considered. The latter has
been and is in touch with the National
Committee of the Republican party. Its
delegates were accorded place in the
Republican Convention which nominal
ed Mckinley and Roosevelt, and which
formulated the Republican platform.
The Home Rulers were not represented
at the Republican Convention They
gave no assistance in either nominating
the president or the vice-presdent or
in formulating the Republican platform
and they have shown their appreciation
of the party ideal, and the principles of
party government by appointing one of
the leaders of the delegation to the De-
mocratic Convention to Kansas City,
to be one of their legislative officers.
Politics are not carried on in the
haphazard way which it seems the
Home Rulers,or rather a portion of
them, seem DESTROYS of taking. They
want to be Republican in name and
Home Rule at heart. What they prac-
tically say is eve don't care a straw for
Republicanism or it's principles, what
we want to do is to smash every one
who has had any thing to do with
bringing about annexation. And we
want all the public offices in sight
Federal and Territorial, these are our
especial desire If the present holders
of office are Republicans, so much the
more do we dislike them, because the
Republican party brought about annex
alton. If we care for any party on the
mainland, it is the Democratic party,
because that turned down annexation,
and Cleveland we regard as a very
great man. But we are good Republi-
cans, Home Rule Republicans, and if
we can't get a Home Rule Republican
as governor, give us a Democrat. We
feel sure the Republican party of the
United States will see the logic of this.
We are Republicans, but we hate the
Republicans. We are like Bob Wilcox,
who says he has forgiven Judge Gear
and has been regarded as a politician
and diplomat for so doing, but at the
bottom of his heart there is no for
giveness. We are good Home Rule Re-
publicans. But if the Democrats were
in power we would be good Home Rule
Democrats, because we could get offices
from them. We are good Republicans
now"
Verify studying the line of argument
which has been put forth by the Home
Rulers it comes to very much this des-
picable line Delegate Wilcox's bait was
glittering one of office and revenge,
and the gudgeons who swallowed his
bait are now playing about like trout in
a pool before they begin to feel the res
traint of the fishing line. Having given
his bait, he is now posing as thoroughly
Objecting to the tatics of his dupes. He
does not want them to fight Governor
Dole. He thinks it unwise to fight the
nominations, but he thinks some of the
party nominees good men. do what
you like but DON'T throw the man into
the horse pond" said the locker on in
a village row, whereupon the man was
duly thrown into the horse pond, and
drowned. Where upon the locker on
appeared as a witness against the vii
layers in a murder trial and helped to
convict them. Brer Rabbit played the
same game on Brer Fox, and saved his
own life. There is lesson to be drawn
from this by the Home Rulers
But the Home Rulers are by no means
satisfied as a body Though carried
away by WilcOX's eloquence the other
night even some of those who followed
his lead are beginning to think over the
matter and are doubtful of the wisdom
of their action. OF course Home Rulers
who say they do not understand the
matter at all, but accept Wilcox's state
ments purely because he makes them,
and follow blindly, are doing no think
ing. If Wilcov were TO say become Po-
pulist, discard clothes and wear malos,
such men would Immediately follow
him. But of those who do think sew
eral have begun to waver, and there
has been from the first a staunch min
GRITTY which has opposed Wilcox clear
through.
This attempt of Wilcox to walk on
two planks is eminently characteristic
of the man. His success has been limit
ed in this direction, the success of
those who follow upon this difficult
method of progression will most GER
tainly lead them to failure. If however,
the Home Rulers become truly Repub-
lican and fuse properly a very different
result will come about Satisfactory
fusion means adhesion to Republican
principles.