The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-10-19
WHY PLEBISCITE
WAS A FIZZLE
REV W. b. OLEsON DISCUSSES
REASONS FOR FALL.DOWN OF
HIS SIDE IN JULY.


meeting of the w. G. T. U. Mrs. J..
NJ. Whitney was elected president for
the twenty-sixth time The other Off
GERS are vice-presidents, Mrs. Doremus
Scudder, Mrs. j. w. Wadman; cores
ponding secretary, Mrs. e. w. Jordan;
recording secretary, Miss F.. r. Var.
row; treasurer, Mrs. l.. B. Coan; su-
perintendents Loyal Temperance Lea
que, Mrs. p. W. Rider; Temperance
Instruction, Miss G. Whiteman, Mrs.
Edgar Wood Flower mission, Miss S.
Pindar, Miss f. r. Yarrow.
The Rev. Mr.. Oleson said in his pa
per that the defeat of prohibition last
July was no surprise, though the over
whelming majority against it was. He
gave the following reasons:
THE effective organization, tireless
industry, mastery ingenuity, and un-
stinted outlay of the anti-prohibition
forces.
"The opposition in general of plan
tation and allied interests.
THE opposition of worthy citizens
who sincerely questioned the wisdom
Of prohIbitory legislation.
"The demoralizing of large numbers
of Hawaiian voters consequent on the
alarming increase of drinking habits
among them.
THE opposition aroused among many
Hawaiian voters by the appeal to race
instinct
"The failure of the prohibition or
ganization to conduct an effective
campaign"
Mr.. Oleson said in part:
"The anti-prohibition forces employ
ed every resource to win the day.
These forces represented large vested
interests Those interests fought for
their lives. All they had was at stake.
Therefore they spared neither money
nor time, nor energy to win at the
polls The variety and skill shown
in their public appeals were worthy
of better cause.
Resentment against Mr.. Woolley
was deep and widespread. By clever
reiteration his reference at Washing
ton to the Hawaiians as being like the
Indians was made to rankle in the
hearts of men who might otherwise
have voted for prohibition. They re-
scented the leadership of such a mali
hini After two attempts to right him
self with Hawaiian voters, Mr.. Wool
ley was obliged to withdraw from any
active, public participation in the cam
paign. But it was too late The
cause he represented fell into the
same odium. One voter in every three
stayed at home. The presumption is
that very few of these would have vot-
ed against prohibition, as the anti
prohibition forces left no stone unturn-
ed to get out every man who would
vote mo-" and the probabilities. are
strong that the great majority OF
these stayaWays would have voted
Eyes" if there had been an effective
organization to get them to the polls.
"The result of the plebiscite more
over has been to postpone indefinitely
any further consideration of territorial
prohibition The preponderance of
citizen opinion is clearly against any
such further agitation.
"While things continue as they are,
am personally opposed to any re-
opening of the question of securing
federal prohibition through enactment
by congress. AS one of those who was
bound by our agent at Washington to
abide by the terms of the compromise
| do not feel that at present we have
any justification in making any appeal
to congress.
while the enactment of prohibi
tory law for Hawaii by congress was
UNSUITABLE before the referendum, the
very nature of that referendum an6
all that has resulted from it, would
make the enactment, of such law by
congress in the immediate future, an
affront to our island electorate, and 6
grave occasion of social unrest anC
confusion that it would be hard tC
justify.
IF, however, the liquor interests in
Hawaii undertake to dominate poll
tics, and there are signs of it, and t.
tamper with the present law, or t.
pass the control of saloons over Il
the counties, or to repeal the law
then congressional interference would
be justified, and an appeal to congress
would be based on substantial consid
erations."