Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-02-03
FOURTH DISTRICT ELECTION.

torial committee to be held tonight
ought to be and II is hoped will be
devoted to work, not to an evening OF
argument with nothing accomplished
beyond the registration of varying
opinions. The committee should elect
a secretary, canvass complaints and .
suggestions from the outside districts
and at least begin to shape a policy
preparatory for the next campaign.
One of the most important topics for
discussion will naturally be the spe-
cial election soon to be called in the
Fourth Representative District The .
Territorial committee Is not neCessari- |
ly called upon to act. II should, how |
ever have an opinion and its advice |
will 20 far toward influencing the
Fourth District committee.
Some Republicans are opposed to 60
ing into the special election and max
ing a fight. What's the use" is tha
argument presented.
The Bulletin appreciates the strength
Of this argument in Hawaii where the
people are not quick to do today what
can be put OFF to the morrow. From a
political and party standpoint the adj
vocates Of the lay down" policy can
| find nothing to support their COnten-
| tons but laziness or an open admission
/ of weakness The claim is made that
/ the successful candidate will never sit
in the Legislature. He who has such
a firm grip upon the future as to make
] lie lie 10 kp cd
| He Is more than mortal. The law
makes the election mandatory to pre-
vent, by any possible combination OF
/ circumstances. a lack of proper repre-
scntatiOn in the Legislature. The
same reasons. that led the trainers of
. the law to require an election, should
operate as strongly in influencing party
/ action.
Here is the Republican party, the
/ predominant organization as far as
office holders of the Territory are con-
Cerned. hesltating before an election In
a district known to be the strongest
Republican district In the Territory.
! This in itself is a confession of weak
ness II II Is allowed to stand. Citizens
last election under the Republic was
that Of Mr.. Lansing to the Senate. The
probabilities of Mr.. Lansing ever serv
ing were not as good as the Represen-
tative to be elected now. Yet the then
predominant party, the American
Union Of which the present Republic
can chairman was a prominent mem
ia -,
date for the place. Then there was
no competition. no opponent. Now
there is a very lusty opposition which
will in event of a do-nothing policy on
the part of Republicans reap all the
benefits of constant activity and the
J prestige of electing their candidate in
the Republican stronghold The only
excuse Republicans can give is that
they did not try. A poor excuse is
, better than none but II is a mighty poor
method of upholding party prestige.
/ The men advocating withdrawal
from the election are supporting the
view that the Republican party is
merely a machine to be brought into
action for the sole purpose of carrying
an election, that the party has no
higher aims and represents no other
principle. II the managers of the party
have any vigorous manhood about
them they will make the fight. II they
consider that the party machinery Is
worth keeping in condition, they will
take this opportunity to canvass the
district to see where II stands and what
precincts can be depended upon for the
fall campaign
The, Hilo election was sample Of
what the do-nothing policy will accom-
plish. II is true the candidate elected
was n defeated candidate of the Re
publican party two years ago, but he
did not go into the special election nor
was he put in nomination by the Re-
=, publicans of the Hilo district. The
Republicans endorsed him after he had
, been selected by a sort OF secret Hawa-
, iian-AmerlCan organization. By their
! do-nothing policy the Republicans OF
Hilo as a party dropped back into third
q place, and II is now merely question
: whether the party will be swallowed NJ
=, by members of the secret organization
I hepuDllCanS OF lne fOullH DlSlIlEl
are stronger than Republicans in HilC
:, or any other district, but If they allow
the Home Rule Republicans to take th'
!, election by default, the party Managers
> will find their dilatory and lazy tao
tics have done nothing but create add
tional Home Rule Republicans for thu
general election of next fall. Wher
1 the Republican party does not SHOW
y itself ready to contest for the prlnci
q Piles II represents at any and all times
;" II will soon be such minus quantit!
y that II will be without any principles
}, and no attempt to support them.
= The Home Rule Republicans can asl
o for nothing better than that the regu
= lar organization leave the Fourth Dis
: trict for them to play with and can
e vass and thus solidify their lines 70
q the general struggle to follow in few
Il months.