Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-12-28
CHAIRMAN ROBERTSON DOES NOT
FAVOR OFFICIALS IN EXECUTIVE.
Continued from PAGE ~

Continued from PAGE ~
of some and the dominance of others
all are brought into a solid family
compact il is apt to be discouraging to
those non.ofilce holders who have the
habit OF doing their own thinking and
who expect their colleagues in convon-
ton and committee to manifest like
independence. 1t is not in accord with
common human nature that a superior
official who is working for the nomi-
nation of a favorite to view with equa-
nimity his subordnates trying to de-
feat his candidate through the election
of an opponent. The subordinate Is
likely to be muzzled and deprived of
his free agency through fear that a
show of independence on his part will
soon be followed by condemnation and
retribution.
The present discussion seems to be
the outgrowth of complaints which
were made in connection with the par.
ty conventions held during the year
just closing. At the convention held
last April for the election of delegates
to the National Convention at Chicago
one of the "slates" in the field was
designated and known as the admin.
/ istration ticket" and ofice.holders
both in and out of the convention
| worked strenuously for the election Of
those whose names appeared on that
| ticket and against the other Candi.
dates. II was generally understood at
the time that that slate was the result
of a caucus held in the Executive
building and that all ofice.holdcrs in
| the convention were expected to sup
port II. One oiIicC.holdor who did not
support Il was severely CCnsurCd for
| his independence. This was the sub
| jcct of much complaint at the time
and frankly admit that participated
in It myself. As candidate before
that convention whose name did not
appear on the administration" ticket
although | managed to get elected.
learned what 1t means to go NJ
against the influence Of office and the
votes of ollice-holders.
When Mr.. Il. r. Adams was defeat
ed in the Fifth District caucus for ;
Senatorial nomination his friends were
loud and open in their denunCiation o
ofiice.hoding influence to which the!
attributed their defeat, and Mr.. Ceci
Brown assigned as the reason for hi
recent bolt that he was beaten In con
vention by the pernicious activity o
oiiice-holders. ! do not know Of m,
own knowledge how much. II any
foundation in fact there was for thos,
complaints though they appear To hav
been made in full belief OF thei
truth. Our political opponents cndea
vored to make capital out of them dun
ing the last campaign.
But, Notwithstanding these scvcra
complaints, and although there |
nothing in any proposed rule that ha
come to my attention to prevent Coy
. eminent officials from doing all tn
, political work they desire on tn
stump, on auxiliary committees u
otherwise than in the regular standin
party machinery, | do not favor tn
! plan proposed by the sub.committc
on the revision of the rules to bar a
salaried officials from membership
= our conventions and all standing con
mittCCs.
The voters. the cOuservativ" ran
and file, are able to control the men
bcrship OF the conventions and distri'
committees through the primaries.
have faith in their judgment. II III
majority Of the voters in any partiC'
lar precinct are opposed to the Gle
ton of otiiCc.hOlders they should 20
u 10 II that none are elected. On III
other hand, If the people Of anothC
precinct desire TO be represented y
q Government official. should the
not be free to vote for and elect him
n the mass Of the people become s
Indifferent To the public welfare thu
they will take no part in the primar
elections the community will be in
bad way politically. but the mere 81
actmcnt of a party rule will not Great
or maintain a healthy political cond
ton. | am opposed to hard and la!