The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-07-08
PARTY DISLOYALTY
IN HAWAII
KEEN ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL
SITUATION IN THE
TERRITORY.
CHICAGO RECORD ON
PARTY DISCIPLINE.
Says Gov. Doles Civil Service Ideas
Have Bred Treason In the Party.
And Comforted his Enemies.

Have Bred Treason In the Party,
And Comforted his Enemies.
The Chicago Record Herald which
has always displayed a keen interest
and a discriminating knowledge of Ha-
wall, especially since Frank Noyes as
sumed the management of the paper,
publishes the following regarding the
political situation here.
impossible as it was two years ago
to formulate political party conditions
in terms of American politics, condi-
tions now at the beginning of the le
gislatiVe and congressional campaign
are more chaotic than they were then.
Two years ago American party names
were new things to the vast majority of
the electorate of the territory and the
political principles which go with the
names were newer and stranger still.
This was true not alone of the native
HawaiianS, but it was true of a large
part of the white residents of the ISL
ands, many of whom were born here,
and others had lived here so many
years that they had lost touch with
American politics.
But it was supposed that one cam
paign would align voters into party
ranks, and give some of that party
fealty and discipline which is the
basis of every campaign in America.
Party organizations were indeed effect
ed and the campaign was fought on
nOminally party lines. But there was
created no party fealtNw.no idolatry of
party, no bonds that kept men in one
party or the other. To the native Ha-
waiian, party names meant nothing,
and it is in the nature of the Hawaiian
to want to be on the winning side. To
the Portuguese, American party names
meant nothing, and party principles
were practically unknown to them. And
in varying degrees the same thing was
true of all the other element2 of the
electorate. There was only one element
in the electorate which had any bond
of solidarity, the native Hawaiian ele-
ment. That had the bond of race. But
it was directed into a channel which
had in it the seeds of mortality. IN the
nature of things, the Home Rule party
could not be permanent. This party
was successful in electing the delegate
| to Congress and a majority in the le-
gislature, but it failed to realize sin
gle one of the hopes that had been
raised among the rank and file of the
party. The Hawaiians could not
understand why having majority of
the legislature, they could not dictate
appointments in the governmental SER
vice of he territory. The native men,
bers of the legislature believed that
they had the right to tell Governor Dole
whom he should nominate for the va
rious departments, and they attempted
to tell him. They were totally unable
to understand why they had not this
right and why the right was not
acknowledged.
"The first effect of this total defeat
of their hopes was an apparent likeIi-
hood that the Home Rule party would
crumble to pieces and disintegrate, and
( many sagacious men predicted that
such would be the case. 1t probably
would have been had not another factor
! interVened. This factor was the Re
publican party itself. The Republican
party in Hawaii is a name and an or
ganization with very little party fealty
or discipline. 1t has been made the
prey of personal ambitions and person
al intrigue, of which the factional fight
Waged on Governor Dole and his sup
pOrters is a type and example. The
element opposed to Dole has cared lit
tie for local success. It's aim has been
to discredit Dole and secure his re-
mOval and thereby gain control of the
appOintive power, which success in the
legislative and congressional elections
could not give. Unsuccessful in this 1t
has SO disorganized the party that sue
| cess in the fall campaign seems doubt
| full.
THAT it should have been able to
| disorganiZe the party In this way, is
| due to the attitude and character of
| Governor Dole. A man of the highest
| ideals and probity, careful and cap
| able administrator, he is utterly lack
/ ing as a party organizer and in capa-
! city for practical politics, using that
| term in no sinister sense. In a commu-
nifty where faction, intrigue, and per-
| sonal following takes the place of party
organization and party fealty, he has
| tried to carry out an ideal of civil SER
vice which finds no response in pub
! lie sentiment. With the overthrow of
the monarchy and the establishment of
! the provisional government and the re-
public of Hawaii, there was constantly
an issue, a line of cleavage, which di-
vided the country into two parties.
| Every man was either a supporter of
the new order, or he was not. Faction
and intrigue We're stihed in the greater
and more vital necessity of supporting
the new order, or risking the danger Of
| reaction and disorder. Conditions en-
! forced party unity and party disci-
| pline.
But with the creation of the terri
| toral government, all danger of tho
overthrow of the new order passed
| away, ana lne electorate ulSSOlNeu IN
TO its primary elements with no strong
! party organization or party fealty to
enforce party discipline, or check per-
sonal intrigue and ambition, or the
growth Of faction. A condition of parry
chaos reigned No man could say what
his neighbor's politics We're, for per-
haps even the neghbor did not know
/ himself.
What Governor Dole ought to have
done, and what would have been the
best for the peace of the administration
at Washington and for the peace and
! good government of the territory would
have been to have built up strong ad-
minstratiOn party. TO create an or
ganization with definite principles
based on support of the administration
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