The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-04
To the electors Of the Territory !:

4
to them of this election, as developed
in party platforms and in the conduc
of the campaign itself.
The leading issue is, shall the direct
absorption by the Governor of the entire
executive power of the Territory and
the control of large part of the Judi
cial power, already accomplished, and
the absorption OF the Legislative power
now threatened, be endorsed by the
voters this election or not?
The Governor, by inventing the system
of undated designations has secured
personal and direct control of the ap-
pointnlent and removal of every mem
Der of the executive, from the heads
of departments down to the hunblest
laborer in Government employ, and is
now using his position to run and per-
sonally direct every department OF the
Government,
He controls the magistrates and his
endorsement is necessary to secure any
appointment in this Territory, judicial
or otherwise, in the gift of the Presi-
dent
He has secured this election pledge
from every Republican nominee (Pre-
sumably before election) TO support
Governor Gamer and the bills which
will be introduced by his administration
(see interview of the Acknowledgement
in the Evening Bulletin of October
Iztll); and to indicate how binding is
the pledge given and what little dis
cretion is left under it to the Repub-
licara Legislative nominees. if elected,
the Attorney General goes on to say in
the interview in question mo matter
how incompetent man may be, his
vote is as good as any other, if he has
agreed to vote right
The Governor, to secure domination
of the Legislature, has asserted the right
to direct and control the nomination
OF candidates In the conventions of the
people and mas exercised this claim by
defeating Cecil Browns nomination for
the Senate and by exacting pledges
from party nominees to do his bidding
IN the Legislature when elected, and
by asserting the right OF control over
the votes of Government officials and
by exchanging Government patronage
and favor for votes.
In the face of all this the Governor
announces personally that he is not an
issue in this election End is responsible
for his conduct TO the President alone,
thus unquestionably exercising a despotIc
power unknown to any American COM
monwealth, state or territorial
All of this is accepted without protest
by the Republican press and party lead
ers; by some with silence: by some with
vociferous approval. Even the taking
of undated designations from Judges, an
act beyond the pale of discussion, has
been accepted without single protest
from the Republican press or party, a.
far as we have observed. though in
private unanimously condemned by them.
This situation means that the execu-
tive is already hopelessly in the saddle
in the Republican party and nothing
approaching balance or check to his
power exists or is in sight in that party
today The party as such has been poop
ed by the executive wave and as such
| lies help1essly bound to accept what
ever further the Governor may see fit
to do or undo.
| Under these circumstances it would
seem strange if the Individual electors
should not use the Democratic party
now organized and available and with
responsible candidates in the field, and
: with no executive strings upon it, as a
means to secure some independent
thought and action in the coming
Legislature. What other possible check
have the electors? They certainly can
! not be affected by the silly contention
that business men like Waller, Harvey
| Moore, Trent. Campbell, Jarret, Frank
Woods, Shipman. Coke, Richardson and
| others on the Democratic ticket are
/ going to waste time in the Legislature
and, therefore, to save thousand dol
/ lars a day" the electors will elect those
who have already surrendered their
/ Legislative judgment into the hands OF
/ the executive, and stand ready to wipe
out the independence and freedom OF
action OF the single remaining branch OF
| the Government as yet unabsorbed by
| the executive appetite
! The truth is that party occupying
| the present position of the Republican
party in this Territory would be decisive
ly showed out of sight in any other
commonwealth, state or territorial of the
/ Union. but many electors here and OF
the most influential class are being held
back by their distrust of the Territorial
electorate and the feeling that as
between the tyranny and misrule OF an
incapable electorate, which they claim
exists here. and one intelligent despot
they prefer the latter
To all such while not admitting and
expressly denying their premises We say
that from their own standpoint there
i IS no reason to make an absolute sur
render without reservation TO the execu-
tive. Ii such electors believe in undated
designations as to the executive off,
GERS law or no law for it, is there qnv
treason why they should go on and after
making the Governor supreme in the
executive branch assent to the PROPOSE
ton that he should become in his own
person the Legislature as well.
I II the executive leaves the Legislature
alone he will have plenty of power left,
a superabundance of it.
| Is II well to establish deliberately and