Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-07-16
COUNTY AND PARTIES.

Which shall It be-the county cam
paign on old party lines or an indie.
pendent citizens movement?
This problem is being earnestly dis
cussed and deserves careful thought in
the deliberations preceding the gen.
eral lineup Of forces previous to the
county campaign Curiously enough,
the strongest advocates of the citi.
zens' movement or citizens party are
found among the ultra good and those
whom they class as doing politics for
what there is in It. The former point
to the experience Of Mainland munich
palitics that have thrown off a CALLING
yoke Of corrupt government by the
combinations made in non.partisan
campaigns. The latter seem to think
that stronger force can be rallied to
support politics as business by form.
ing an organization free from the re.
straint of either Republican, Demo.
cratic, or Home.Rule allegiance. The
trend of opinion among those occupy.
ing a middle ground between the ex-
tremes Is toward the maintenance of
standard party lines with the manage
n ent of the campaign in the hands Of
"A county committee created by spe'
Clal county convention.
The problem is one that cannot be
passed over lightly, because the de,
cision will result in either strengthen.
ing the bonds of party allegiance or
/ r.aking the term party misnomer
and the political situation thus become
50 complex that party activity will be
characterized by multiplicity Of par
ties approaching chaos. We have to
start with the too-evident fact that the
voters of Hawaii are new to party ale
glance as II Is understood on the Main
land and to the party ideals every
thoughtful citizen should seek to pro
mote. Campaigns previous to anneXa
ton and during the days of the Mon
archy were fought through the medium
of parties that were creatures Of the
hour. The name was changed to At the
occasion and the organization had lit
tie of the long-sustained life and char
aCter which gives the strength, solidi
Ity. and respect TO American party
work. Hawaii's early political educa
ton was in the school n shifting ale
, glance. When new issues arose new
parties were found. The old ones gave
up the ghost, allowing their followers
to form new connections.
Two political contests have been
carried on in the Territory with the
political alignment as close to the
America plan as possible. The organ
ization has been well sustained. Party
integrity has been preached with gooC
success up to the time of closing the
, l"C!,s. Party integrity following the
election has been subject to just criti
Cism. and incident recorded which, u
they occurred in Mainland party cir
Giles. could only be put down as bolt
A.. |, What Hawaii needs. what the Repub
l!Can party needs is conduct of all cam
, paigns, whether county or Territorial
in a manner that will firmly establish
.. stronger bonds of party allegiance
Considering the education of the pas
and the vast influence policies of tn,
present formative period will have o,
! the future. Is II advisable to start of
u On n tangent that will lead back to old
i time customs?
= A party that inspires confidence 4
not made in day, but its proper dc
velopment can be seriously checked |
not utterly destroyed by constantly de
Q sorting the old and flying to new
: schemes. 4 party that amounts t,
: anything is the product of stead,
:. growth. Improvement is best secure,
by profting from errors of the pas
and working out the desired salvation
at the primaries and within the part,
v organizations - this includes candi
: dates.