The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-04-18
PRIMARY REPUBLICANS,

For several weeks there have been
rumors, more or less tangible, That
some of the Home Rule leaders have
resolved upon strategic stroke to Sc
cure their nominations for the legisla
ture in such way as to preclude dan
ger Of defeat. If the plan which has
been outlined by one of the boldest of
the young men OF the Home Rule
crowd, in the Fifth District. may be
taken as an evidence of the methods
which may govern the operations Of
the entire party. there is danger that
the Home Rulers may secure control
even of the Territorial convention of
the Republican party and name men
,, Of their own for the chief elective Of
fees.
1t is argued that If there Is not put
into the rules OF the Republican party
a proviso that the would-be voter shall
have cast a Republican ballot at the
last election, there will be no bar
against the appearance Of the Home
Rule rank and file at the polls in the
precinct clubs, their casting a ballot
for their own candidate. and thus per
haps choosing him as delegate to the
convention, and also electing members
of the committee which is to manage
the campaign and appear at the sew
eral conventions of the party as regu-
larry elected delegates.
Even If there is n half-hearted rule
adopted, for instance giving the privi-
| lege of voting to those who are to cast
a Republican ballot In the fall, the
| Home Rulers figure that they can still
get into the ranks, as they say that a
! vote which they will east for their own
/ party with its double-jointed name. Is
! in reality Republican vote. and bet
! ter. II they secure the nomination of
! their men. then they will surely vote
the straight ticket.
The fact that this plan has been OPP
emily discussed should give force to the
argument that the primaries of the
Republican party are the meetings Of
the directors of the public corporation.
| There can be no rhyme or reason for
the admission OF outsiders into such a
family council, and by all means the
rule prohibiting such participation
| should be made as tight as possible. II
Republican integrity is to be maintain
ed il can be only by adherence to the
time-honored precept that no outsiders
| shall take part in purely private bus
mess transaction Of the party.
! This is almost elemental, and the fact
that there is nowhere any precedent foi
an open primary. on the ground tina,
such would open the way for new vot-
ers to enter the party, should show
| that the very oldest heads of the party
which came into existence partly tC
honor the Pathfinder, have not beer
able to find any reason why there
should be the open door in politics.
The new rules for the government OF
the party, while they are in many re.
spects the very best that could be de-
vised, are faulty in that they do no
draw the line between the veteran ant
the neophyte. This must be done anC
the primaries carried on in wa!
which will preclude any tricks.
The committee sitting on the rule
will have many arguments before tn
main body gets a chance to look int
the merits of the case, but as 1t is tn
plan to send copies of the rules to al
committeeman and to outsiders, VIII
have been known as Republicans, ther
will doubtless be some criticism whicl
may result in the lettering Of this con
| 1itinn