The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-27
THE POLITICS
Of THE HOUR
What Is Going on Among the
Territorial Job
Chasers.

| Inc slogan OF tHe cunning dnipdAS
will be, to use pathological term, OF
herpetic character, though it is hard
| ly possible that it has been taken from
i well known remedy, widely adver-
tised, over the caption, "Scrateh
scratch, scratch"
Anyhow, wherever it came from
| that 8 what it is to be.
Solemn councils have been held on
| the street corners most favored by
politicians-the substitute for the Fish
market of the good old days, as a
Honolulu forum.
The onward strIue of the happy
haole will be checked, his ambitions
blasted, and, if all goes well, by the
converting of the next Legislature, he
will not know where he's at.
A gathering at the residence of Hon.
H. M. Kaniho in Kuakini street, on
Monday evening, while ostensibly So
cial, had not a little significance from
political standpoint. The Hon. II.
M. Kaniho, as the chairman of politi-
cal meeting would affably remark,
needs no introduction in this COM
munity. He is mighty man amongst
his kind, mentor, an oracle, whose
slightest word carries enormous weight.
He has never been swept into the
maelstrom of what is foolishly called
progress. He stands pat amongst those
who know that it is better to see the
moon over your right shoulder, that to
meet a cross-eyed man, especially if
you owe him money and he wants it.,
is certain bad luck. He is the staunch
advocate of female rocks, and, in his
opinion, a piece of yarn tied around a
wart and then put under stone, beats
a regular practitioner prescription all
to pieces.
The Hon. H. NJ Kaniho is shrewd
and voluble on the floor of the House.
In the art of talking bill to death
the Washington aggregation couldn t
match him, and it is this mere multi
plication of reverberating words and
sounding phrases that induces his loyal
constituency to sit at his feet in won
dering admiration. He is also a de-
cidedly original character.
At one time he held a prominent po-
sition amongst the merry retainers who,
under the old regime, ''chased the rosy
hours with flying feet or vice versa.
He has melodlous voice, which he
uses like the true artist that he is-an-
other explanation of his popularity.
The testimonial above mentioned took
the form of a luau, elaborate in it's
scope, and with nothing lacking that
made the luau of the past unique
amongst the entertainments patronized
by the visiting tourist.
Poi there was, of irst-class quality
and in plenty, taro on the half-shell,
squid of such a consistency that the
company chewed on it all evening with
out making any impression on it, Ku-
lolo for those of the guests with
sweet tooth, mullet and shrimps, with
such liquid refreshments as were most
satisfying to the majority present.
There was a pleasant informality
throughout the evening. 1t had not
been necessary to round up the guests
anu them 10 the 1estIflLIeS, nor
were they detained by force when they
were ready to leave. They simply came
and went as the spirit, or spirits, moved
them.
With the feasting and dancing some
rousing old meles were chanted, again
recalling the old DAYS when the palace
walls resounded with the like. and
these were greeted with applause and,
at some special allusion, with roars Of
laughter-or so it is reported.
The occasion for al this demonstra-
ton of political unity and goodwill was
the impending departure of Hon. Fl. NJ.
Kaniho on lengthy campaigning tour
from which he is confident of securing
the best results. He has made the
record that will help him most in quar-
tiers where record of that sort is most
effective. and he will stand pat as the
pronounced enemy of the entomologist
who wastes the public funds in ex-
terminating potato bugs by scientific
means, instead of squashing them in
the way consistent with the simple life.
Mr. Kaniho prophesies that in the
coming session he will be backed up
by a Hawaiian member from the Big
ISidnu, anu ludt 50 suPpoFteV, lie Will
be invincible. During his tour he will
resume his instructions in first aid to
the politically injured. similar to those
dispensed around Honolulu under the
shady banyan tree, when he had all the
able bodied unemployed gathered with
in the sound of his voice from the
dumps and the waterfront.
The boy orator" Bernard Keleko-
lilo. who can't hope to play the part
much longer. having more than reach
ed the age limit, is also up and armiug
for the fray. He seconds Mr.. Ka-
niho's statement that there IS going TO
be lot OF scratching, unless the haole
politicians get out and hustle, and he
isn't sure that even this will save
them. Bernard Kelekolio, the boy
Orator" is perfectly confident of cleo
ton. II only he can pass the first OBJ
| stacle in the way without slumping,
J and this means that he thinks he'll be
| elected If he can only get the nomina-
ton. He has an army of friends, and
l tn a man they will ALI vote for him