The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-04-18
PRIMARY REPUBLICANS.

| Fer several weeks there have been
| run-ors. more or less tangible, that
sOu.e Of the Home Rule leaders have
resolved upon a 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 IL there is not put
into the rules OF the Republican party
a proyiso 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 .heir 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
eraI conventions OF the party as regu- !
larry elected delegates.
Even IL there Is a half-hearted rule |
adopted. for instance giving the privi-
Iege of voting to those who are to cast /
a Republican ballot in the fall. the
har 20 cffl
get into the ranks. as they say that a
vote which they win cast for their own
party with its double-jointed name, Is
in reality a Republican vote. and bet
ter; If they secure the nomination OF
their men. then they will surely vote
the straight ticket.
The fact that this plan has been op-
emily discussed should give force to the
argument that the primaries of the
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. If
integrity is to be maintain
I'd il can be only by adherence to the
precept that no outsiders
shall take part in a purely private bus
mess transaction Of the party.
This is almost elemental. and the fact
hat there is nowhere any precedent for
IN open primary, on the ground that
such would open the way for new vot-
srs to enter the party. should show
hat the very Oldest heads of the party
which came into existence partly to
honor the Pathfinder, have not been
able to find any reason why there
'horld be the open door in politics.
The new rules for the government of
he party, while they are in many re-
poets the very best that could be de-
'ised, are faulty in that they do not
iraw the line between the veteran and
he neophyte. This must be done and
he primaries carried on in a way
which will preclude any tricks.
The committee sitting on the rules
will have many arguments before the
main body gets a chance to look into
he merits of the case, but as it is the
,lan to send copies of the rules to all
and to outsiders, WHO
nave been known as Republicans, there
viii doubtless be some criticism which
nay result in the lettering of this con-
lition.