The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-24
INDEPENDENCE IN POLITICS.

Blaine bolt is taken to mean tnat III
dependent journalism in the United
states is a failure. Both the premise
and the conclusion are contrary to the
facts. The records show that Harpers
Weekly today is a more widely circulat-
ed journal than it was previous to 1884
when it bore semi-organic relation
to the Republican party. and the pres
ent critical attitude it holds to both
Presidential nominees indicates that its
owners have no cause to be dissatisfied
win, the financial returns of independ-
ent Journalism.
The truth is that the only successful
daily newspapers in the United States
are those which are independent of
party dictation and whose policies cen
ter on good government or on some de-
sired reform. The New York Herald
is purely independent and is a gold
mine TO it's proprietor. The Sun quad
rennially picks out from either side
what it believes to be the best ticket
The popular Tribune has been con-
tinuany at variance for years with the
Plat machine. Mr.. Hearst's widely
circulated newspapers opposed the last
Cleveland administration for TWO years
and are giving cold comfort to Parker
now. Crossing the continent one finds
no successful organs anywhere-none
that permit party bosses to dictate to
them. In San Francisco both Repub-
lican papers honored themselves by
making a successful fight against the
party organization headed by Dan
Burns and the Examiner made a great
name by its assault upon the party or
ganization headed by Boss Buckley.
The only organs of any kind which San
Francisco has endured in twenty years.
past have had to be kept alive by sub
sides. For lack of one the subservient
Alta died.
What the people want of their press
is AN EYE SINGLE TO GOOD GOV
EMINENT. That is the first consid-
Grafton always.
In Territory like this the success of
any mere organization is nothing to the
defence of the people from official
thieves. scalawags and ignoramuses.
In States an independent voter must
be more cautious even in dealing with
his local affairs. for his action may
help disrupt a campaign for Governor
OF President or the success of cardinal
issues like the tariff or the money
standard. Here we cannot vote for
Governor or President and whatever
we do-for our Delegate in Congress
has no vote-cannot affect the policies
of the nation. There is but one thing
of any consequence left to us and that
is to WORK AND VOTE FOR GOOD
GOVERNMENT. EFFICIENT LEGIs-
LATToN AND LOW TAXES. Those
are the things that come home to us.
To let any machine connive unrebuked
at bad government, graft legislation
and high taxes. is to be traitorous to
honor and duty and to an enlightened
self-interest. The duty every voter
owes himself and his Territory is to
vote for honest and competent men ard
no others. Fortunately there are a
number of them on the Republican
ticket and we hope sincerely that there
viii be a goodly array on the Demo
cratic ticket.
In specific connection with some parts
of the Republican legislative tickets the
Independent voter may have to make a
choice of evils. The worst man named
is better. BECAUSE HE CAN BE
HANDLED BY GOOD MEN and kept
in line. than any man likely to be run
on the corrupt Home Rule ticket. The
first duty of the Independent voter, as
We see it. is to see that no Home Ruler
shall be elected. A Home Rule legs
Iator is intractable and anarchistic
predatory and ignorant, and he cannot
be controlled by honest men. He is ar
Ishmaelite whose hand is against every
honest man and every honest man: