Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-02-28
VALUE OF A PARTY MISTAKE

A mistase can be made valuable II
the error is accepted as lesson to /
prevent repetition.
So much has been said during the
two campaigns which the Republican
party has fought in this Territory OF
the loyalty to party, party integrity
and the necessity for its preservation
In all political counsels that II is time |
ly to review the situation by witch a
Republican House of Representatives
with a majority OF ten, elected a Homo
Rule Speaker.
Whether the scheming of the So
called solid thirteen meets with pub
tic approval or not, from the stand
point of general legislative custom in
every party and every legislative as
sembly of the Mainland this thirteen
has thus far preserved It's party reg
ularity.
The whole situation turns on the de-
sire of the party organization as rep
resented by the Republican Central
committee to have its nominations for
office in the House accepted by the Re-
publican Representatives. The right
Of any legislative body to name its own
officers is recognized throughout every
party in the country. The only de-
mand which the organization usually
makes is that the officers selected shall
be party men Hawaiis Republican
organization went n step further in
recommending officers. There was
however, so far as known, no ex-
pressed demand that these men should
be the only candidates whom the eau
Gus of Representatives should consider.
With the organization recommended
tons before them the Representa-
tives went into caucus. The independ-
ence of the Representative was recog
nized by the organization by its failure
to demand representation in the eau
Gus The same policy was followed as
with the Senate. The legislative body
met and acted independently of the or
ganiZation. The gathering Of Republic
can Representatives was regular leg
islative party caucus called for the eN-
press purpose, as party caucuses are
called in Congress, for the considcra-
ton of the officers of the House. When
was a solid majority pledged to a GER
tain plan of action. This is not an
unusual thing in general politics or
party operations. The only reason II
is not carried out more often Is be-
cause of the difficulty OF clinching the
majority. Take, for instance, a ma
tional example. Congressman Cannon
will be Speaker of the next House be-
cause he has the votes already cinched.
Tom Reed had to fight for the Speak
ership,-he didn't have the votes
cinched.
This majority of thirteen had can
vassed the situation and made up their
minds. They had the thing cinched.
They decided not to follow the organ
ization recommendations in naming
their officers. selecting their men how
ever from the ranks of Republican vot-
ers Their program went through.
Their majority rule was distasteful "a
the organization and to the minority
but nevertheless II was the majority
OF caucus of regularly elected Repub'
licans. II majority rule means any.
thing II Is that the minority within
the party must stand by the result OF
the majority vote. The public was in
formed that II was warm session. Sucl
sessions usually are, but there was ne
declaration on the part of the minority
that II would not be bound by the eau
vus as it might have done, put up sep
arate candidates and throw the onus
of courIing with the opposition party
on the majority thirteen. This saving
clause seems not to have been taken
into consideration. The party caucus
result stood until Home Rule can
didate was proposed for the Speaker
ship, when the Republican caucus min
GRITTY threw its solid vote with the
minority Home Rule party OF the
House and we had the remarkable ex
hibition of a House of Representatives
with a Republican majority OF ten
electing a member of the minority
of the House.
Representative Beckley is one of thu
ablest members OF the House. We arr
not discussing men. but the party, anC
party custom which has become recog
niged as party law throughout thu
United States. A minority OF sever
Republicans, among them some OF thu
most ardent advocates of party integ
rity bolted the directions of the party
caucus and placed a minority leader L
preside over the deliberations of tn,
majority. We may have our owl
views of how this result will be takeI
among our own people. Some ma!
contend that the end justified tn,
means and that the end was not in thu
mere selection of the Speaker. Blu
whatever we in Hawaii may think o
the affair there Is but one view tina