The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-06-08
WILL CHANGE
PRECINCTS

The election precinct bull has been
taken by the horns by Governor
Carter
Notices were sent out from the Gov
ernors office last March asking for
suggestions from the various parties
us to changes that should be made In
precinct lines to enable all voters to
cast their ballots, and to cast them in
the most convenient way. There was
nothing done about it by the party men
pntil May, following. and the cor
iespondence in the Governors office
does not show that, as far as the island
Of Oahu is concerned, the party leaders
have expressed themselves in the mat
ter beyond saying that they want the
prectacts let alone.
There was something OF stir about
this matter, 1t will be remembered,
while Governor Carter was away, when
the Republican County COMMITTEES
jumped upon Acting Governor Atkin-
son for changing the precinct lines so
that the small bosses would lose con-
troll OF their voters; and then awoke
to the discovery that Mr. Atkinson had
done nothing of the kind, that in fact,
he had done nothing at all, and the
committee had to meet In special ses-
sion and eat dirt. taking 1t all back and
apologizing to Atkinson.
HANGING IN THE AIR.
Since that time, the matter has hung
in the air the fact, however. remain
ing that some of the precincts on oahu
had too many voters In them, and
some of them had very few. Acting
Governor Atkinson did arrange precinct
lines on the other island. and the work
was done to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned.
II propose to see that every man is
given n chance to cast his vote" said
Governor Carter yesterday. "There are
but $40 minutes, / believe, in an cleo
ton day. and the precincts should be
so adjusted that not more than five
hundred voters, at the most. should
vote IN one precinct. That will be vot-
ing pretty fast. l do not know any
party men or precinct bosses In the
matter"
Then, turning to the chief clerk, he
said: you go ahead and arrange IT."
So, the matter is up to the bosses.
II they have any kick to make AS n
matter of fact, the election precinct.
the smallest possible political subdivi-
sion, is arranged altogether for the
convenience of the voters, and the Gov
errors idea that each man should be
given a chance to cast his vote Is the
right one Also, the Governors idea
of disregarding political bosses in the
precincts is the right one, too. He is
the Governor of the whole people.
HAVE COUNTED NOSES.
! The trouble Is that the bosses have
counted noses very carefully in their
several precincts, and If the lines are
changed they fear that some OF the
men they control may get away from
them and vote for the Lord knows
what political heresy. This fear was
voiced openly in the meeting of the
county committee at which the matter
was discussed, when the committee
! men were hot after Atkinson for the
sins that he did not commit.
AT that time 1t was gravely proposed
| i'm the committee meeting to pass the
matter of precinct changes up to Con-
gress, course which would have made
the Territory the laughing stock OF the
nation-and might have had even
more serious consequences. Fortunate
ly, that danger passed, but the bosses
supposed that all other danger had, too,
and that they would be allowed to rule ,
in the same precincts forever, regardT
less of changing times and the chang
ing residences of voters.
But they will not. Governor CAREER
has taken the thing in hand, and the
order to readjust the precincts has
issued.