Evening star., 1903-09-01
LINING UP IN HAWAII
Political Forces Preparing for
a Hot Fight.
WILCOX AT OLD TRICKS
STILL CoDDLING THE NATIVES
WITH HOPE OF INDEPENDENCE.
Business Men of the Territory Anxious
as to the County Govern
ment Scheme.
WILCOX AT OLD TRICKS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


HONOLULU, T. H., August II, 1898.
Hawaiis political forces are lining up 1or
a very lively campaign in November Ihe
home rulers are working with their charac-
teristic secrecy and Quietness, and II Is
doubtful whether they will hold an open
convention primaries, while the repup-
licans have called primaries for the 2Stn OF
this month The home rulers held general
meeting for the reorganization OF their
party some days ago, at which new Is
sue' was sprung by former Delegate to
Congress R. w. Wilcox. 1t was that of
memoralizing Congress to grant Hawaii in
dependence under a form of government
like that of Cuba. 1t was received with
applause, and Wilcox promised to prepare
a memorial, but the next day he favored
waiting until the next regular election,
when delegate to Congress is to be chosen.
Wilcox was playing his old shreWd game,
by which he has always remained q power
among the natives In the first election, in
which he was successful his cry was
restoration of the ex-queen, and 1t won
him many votes. The independence cry is
another good vote catcher-too good for
use in merely a county election. Wilcox
will come to the front as candidate for
delegate again next time and then he will
have the independence memorial ready.
Since the home rule meeting Wilcox has
been laying wires to run for sheriff of
Oahu county, the most important elective
position in the islands. After consulting
with some of the democratic leaderS-mOst
of the acknowledged democrats in Hawaii
are leaders just now-he told them that he
would give up the idea, however. The
democrats informed him that they were
70 Arf6 hi0l,
sheriff of the territory. Brown will run on
the republican ticket and the democrats
will have no nominee in the field.
Democrats Will Not Fuse.
The democrats propose to merely main
tain their organization and let 1t go at that.
AS two years ago, there has been some talk
of fusing with the home rulers, but this
time it was not serious. The bourbons don't
want to help the Hawaiian party in their
anti-white campaign, and the home rulers
don't want to have to give up anything to
whites for assistance
James H. Boyd, former superintendent of
public works, who was removed by Gov
ernor Dole last fall, when the shortages in
his department were exposed, but who was
acquitted after being indicted for cmb,z-
element. is out for the republican nomina-
ton for one of the supervisorships of Oahu
county. Boyd is recognized as a strong
man among Hawaiians. He represents to
large extent the extraordinary inconsist-
ency in political matters of many of the
Hawaiians and some whites, for it is not to
be doubted that, though he Is republican
and has always consistently remained with
the organization, he can rely on many home
rule votes. He is a part native.
Anxiety Over County Government.
Many of the intelligent business men of
the territory look forward with more or
less trepidation to the new system Of coun-
ty government. The utter incompetence Of
the men chosen as legislators does no.
courage the idea that the supervisors will
prove very able men. and the task of the
first boards of supervisors will be a diff
suit one. 1t is safe to say that the average
American board will find work and prob
lens of extreme difficulty In starting the
systems under which they now more or
less smoothly continue the work of admin
istration. The Hawaiian boards have TO
inaugurate systems. They have to take a
voluminous county act, revolutionary in its
enactments, and apply 1t anew.