The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-11-30
HOW
HAWAII
HANDLED
ELECTION

anaole Prince Cupij"- to Washing
ton. Gs the Territorys Delegate TO
congress, by heavy majority. He
ran on the Republican ticket
HCnolulu's first mayor IS a Demo
crat winning over his Republican
competitor by seven votes.
Both Of these men are Hawalians
but while Cupid defeated a white man
Of the Democratic ticket, aud a fellow
Hawaiian of the Home Rule Party.
Joseph Fern. the mayor elect. won
over two Hawailans, one of the reg
ular Republican party. ami the other
a Home Rule-Labor candidate.
Generally speaking the victory Of
the recent election ig Republican
throughout the Territory In the Le-
gislature the Republicans have 9 out
Of i5 senators. and % out of 80 Re
presentatives A majority of the
members OF both houses are Hawaiian
or iau Hawaiian iwniie the Portugu-
ese have several members.
Tao election was remarkable IN
every part CT the Territory for the
amount OF spfttlcket voting, and again
emphasized the small part played by
parry allegiance or race lines This
has always been to great extent the
case in Hawaii an1 although there IS
Away ys talk before elections of draw
Ing racial lines, and some agitation TO
that end. the results never pecceptibly
show the cfec. OF II. II Is one of the
most striking, and probably unparallel-
ell examples of race amity on record.
The island of Oahu, which includes
4ff fsf .fHafs A.
men out of II total of - members for
the legislature. Only , out of tne
fifteen were Democrats, one OF them
being a white man. There is abso-
lutely no indications that race prem.
dice had any part IN the matter, some
Of the ilawalians getting their heaviest
tote In white precincts. while some
Of the "haole or white candidates
stood in native precincts as high as
any OF the Hawaiians.
Hawaii being a territory. has no
voice IN national politics. save in the
election of a delegate 70 congress; nor
does she elect her governor. Terri
loriGl secretary. or judiciary However.
besides electlug tapir members To the
legislature. each Of the four counties
elects a board OF supervisors and other
county officials, while Honolulu by AN
act ol the last legislature. now elects
maJO or as Well For all these Offices
men We're electel an over The Terri
tory apparently largely on their own
popularity, regardless Of party or race.
rms was especially true ia the islands
outside OF oahu, wacre the white popn-
alton Is much IN the minority
AS may be suppose .. neither the De
mocrat nor Republican party IN Ha-
Nail has very much in common with
these same named parties on the main
land, most Of the issues being local.
The Republican party here, however.
generally represents the commercial
ana busine8a element. anl Is generally
IA symp, Thy with mainland issues sup
ported by the Republican platform.
Hawaiian Democrats are likewise loyal
10 National party traditions. The
Home Rule party Is exclusively la.
waiian, and Is retrogGessive IN princl-
pies, being the development OF the old
reactlonary party which generally op-
pcsCi government founded on De
mocraiic or Republican ideals. While
II Is stlil a force 10 be reckonei with.
II succeeded in electing but a few OF
It's. cnrlidntes anywhere in the Terri
tory even on the island OF Hawaii,
whore IL Is strongest
Tho city OF Honolulu. after the hrst
OF the year win be governed by a
mayor Of native blood. aud "a board
Of seven supervisors. four n whom
are also lIGwaiians The mayor Is a
Democrat. but six members OF the
board are Republicans.
Althougi the entire campaign ami
election We're orderly ant well mau-
aged aud there has not been single
! contest OF The returns though some OF
tho candidates ran very close, II must
not be imagined that there was any
| lack ol interest ani enthusiasm In
/ rereral Instances there We're mort bit
/ ter iigais for weeHs before election
/ through the press ani on the stump. A
very strong hSht was made by the De-
| mocrats TO elect their caHdi date for
deles6tes to congress, largely on land
| nlatfy M. Honolulu was fun of stump
ems on street corners at noon time AMI
before open air gatherings az night.
| with bar 3 moving pictures and glee
clubs as attractions Automobiles
| wlirlei the seekers OF prerermeni
| throughout the country districts. and
the local newspapers were as unsatis
factory ~ The man who doemk thre
fnr nolhics as any hndnlanda daily
ur.ng Tie same per.od
Win the passing OF the election
3pwever. harmony again reigns. and
ef7rt tb~dY feNcept possibly the defeat
ed anlHaieslrppears TO be satisfied
AMI in light Of the past this conf lence
in their Representatives IN Office ap.
gears 10 be fully Justified. Hawaii
has learned the art Of self government
ana only LACKS a political machine o
corrupt efficiency 10 put her In ths
clasa witli any state IN the Union.
WILL J. COOPER.