The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-12-23
AS TO PARTY MANAGEMENT.

The proposal to rule public officials
out Of the management of the Repuo-
lican party in Hawaii, is one 20 de-
prive it of competent men without
making sure of getting equally good
ones in their place. With officials
barred, the choice would lie between
business and professional men and Of
fee seekers; but as business and pro-
fessional men give little time to poll
tics, except in periods of great excite
ment, and cannot be relied upon for the
drudging tasks of organization, the
actual alternative to the Office holder
is the offce-seeker
Between the two. as rule the office
holder is the most to be desired If
honest, because he has already proved
his metal, has had his claims tested by
the voters or the appointing power, anc
has standing or pull with the rank and
file which he can use to the advantage
of his ticket. Generally speaking there
is no such rivalry between office-hold-
ers as there is between office seekers,
and, in working for victory at the
primaries or the polls, they pull to-
gether. with the Purchasing element
the effort is to use the party organiza-
tion for its own benefit at the polls;
that is to say, each candidate who has
a voice in the organization tries to use
the party to elect himself or his com
bine, rather than as is usually the case
with the office holders, to elect the entire
ticket. 1t was in view of this fact that
the Democrats. in the late canvass,
made such an cutlery against 1aukea's
proposal to become chairman of their
Territorial Committee while also their
nominee for Congress. Nobody wants
a man who is running for Office to die
tate the fortunes of his colleagues on
the ticket; and as a rule the services
OF a man actually in office, If he Is
honest and capable, are eagerly sought.
Thus 1t happens in national nomin-
ating conventions that Senators, Con-
gressmen and Governors of States and
Territories have the decisive voice. In
State nominating conventions the exec
utive and legislative branches of the
Government are always well-represent-
ed. Generally the Republican party
has had an office-holder for its nation
al chairman, New. Carter, a Quay
or a Hanna. In Mr.. Cortelyou's case
he went out of office temporarily while
managing the campaign; but he be-
longs, distinctively to the otfice-hold-
ing class
The only excuse aside from scandal
lous conduct which can be made for
such a rule against office-holders as Is
proposed for Hawaii, is that of Often
sive partisanshp. But neither of these
charges can stand against the men t.
unseat whom the local effort Is par
ticularly directed. They are good men
and have done we'll in campaign work
without showing partisan bitterness
For years many of them have beer
building up the party, by the Legitimate
use of the influence their offices give
them. Even If we admit that there are
better men among the Office holders
are we to make the rule that, as soor
as they have won, have proved tn II
political ability and got into power, we
must deprive the party of a chance tc
benefit by their further services?
1t would be we'll for those who have
been misled in this matter to consider
also whether the loss TO party man.
agement of the men who contributed
most to the electoral result last
November would be compensated for
by the promotion to the rank of lead
ers of Jim Quinn and the Minute Men
of paddy Ryan's club