The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-23
Address to Voters and
Rejoinder For
Party.

Editor Advertiser: have read with
interest Mr.. Cecil Browns address to
the voters of this island. In it he ad-
mits that it was his intention to abide
by the decision of the convention but
claims that an unwarrantable inter-
ference by certain officers Of the Exec
utive Department of the Territory caus-
ed my defeat in that ConventionI and
that these persons used the power of
their offices directly and coercively in
the convention, particularly among the
office-holding delegates to compel a
vote against me regardless of the per-
sonal convictions of the delegates and
the wishes of their constituents
This is his excuse for bolting the
party and running for the Senate in
opposition TO the regular Republican
nominees. Is his action justified by
the circumstances alleged? I will not
go into discussion of the correctness
or otherwise of those matters because
1 contend that even if what Mr. Brown
says is true-it is no excuse for be-
trayipg his friends and supporters
and being false to his party. I agree
with the Hon. Elihu Root, when, refer
ring to the tendency of officials to trans
gress the proper limitations of official
power, he said, Such a process general
ly is most Injurious. If continued long
enough. it results in an attitude of per-
sonal superiority which is inconsistent
with our Institutions" But Mr.. Root
followed this up, saying: Abundant
evidence that our people have not be-
come Indifferent to the necessary limi-
tations is furnished by the frequency
with which political opponents impute
disregard of them to public officers.
The charge is often unfounded and
often made upon slight foundation with
great exaggeration. But the fact that
it is made shows that political leaders
recognize that if they can make the
people believe a public officer has
usurped power he will be condemned |
without regard to his motives
If the influence of office-holders is |
being improperly or unfairly used in |
the Republican party for the purpose
Of manipulating party action and thus
becoming an evil the proper way to
remedy the evil is by agitation, argu-
nent and work within the party, and
f Mr.. Brown was a sincere Repub-
lean he should have. by taking an ac-
i've and aggressive interest in the par
US affairs (something he has not here
ofore done), sought to have remedied
he matter in an open and fair manner.
lie has no moral right to bolt the ticket
first having exhausted every
agitimate means within party lines to
ring about a reform in respect to the
natter of which he complains.
A physician is in duty bound to faith
ully treat his patient even though the
isease were contracted in the commits
ion or crime.
A lawyer must loyalty defend his
Iient even though he believes him to
e guilty.
A politician must be true to and
onest with his party even if improper
ethods are used to secure certain ends.
The very form of our government re-
uires the formation and maintenance
political parties divided on broad yet
,ffnite lines in order that the party in
,wer may have opposed to it an honest
I'd virile opposition. Only in this way
m q. healthy administration of public
fairs be attained.
Without party loyalty parties could
IT exist: there would then be chaos
Id confusion.
When an aspirant for office allows his r
me to go before political conven-
IN for nomination every principle of
ir-play. common honesty and politi-
good faith requires that he should
w to the will of the majority and
ide by the result of the conventions
te 1t is only on the understanding II
at Mr.. Brown recognized this rule
d was willing to observe it that his
ends in the convention endeavored to
cure his nomination. Any act on his
rt IN contravention of this simple yet
ldamental rule is absolute bad faith.
justifies the opposition of those who &c