The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-10-28


has ever been a source of pleasure to
many men. Take up the subject with
almost any man in Honolulu, and he
win tell you enthusiastically about
political campaigns that he has taken
intrest IN IN the past, both here and
in his home state, If he should not be
native born.
The present campaign sizes up very
well in political maneuvering. the re.
porter thinks, but after attending num-
bers of meetings held by both parties
he has come to the fair conclusion that
the Republicans have outgeneraled their
opponents, and that with the handicap
placed upon the Democrats by having
candidates who shirk the important
issues and eXclaim, "Nothing to say,
boys; nothing to say and others who
talk too much to their own liscredit,
their chances for success seem to be
very remote indeed
But that was not the point the fol.
lower of the Democratic bandwagon
started out to convey but rather the
amusing side of the campaign, and he
frankly states his preference for a
Democratic meeting any time.
OF course, the speeches have varied
little since the first meetings of the
campaign, and the policy of the Demo-
Gratis seems to have been to read care.
fully every line in The Advertiser each
morning and then attack whatever ut
terances were made. Instead of taking
up important issues and clearly defining
their positions, candidates have ranted
and performed with an amazing lack of
political sagaeity, in strong contrast to
the businesslike presentation of issues
by the Republicans.
Quite satisfactory, however, have
been the Democratic meetings from an
entertainment point of view, and there
is no criticism on that score. There is
always something worth hearing, some
thing worth seeing, and always some.
thing pleasantly entertaining.
The stage settings vary as the meet
ings shift from one section of the city
to another, but the fifth district has
especial charms, for there the nationali-
ties in attendance are so varied and the
remarks and conduct so unique, That the
Democratic bandwagon IS presence is all
that is needed to make for a very salts
factory evenings entertainment.
Whole families desert their homes to
90 to political meetings, many carrying
with them chairs, refreshments, and,
above all, contentment. AS to Demo-
cratic policies, few of them cafe a snap;
they want to be pleasantly entertained.
So they settle down-men, women and
children-early in the evening, and
rarely do they bulge until the last
strains of the musicians are heard, and
even then, though the hour is late,
sometimes close to midnight, the family
parties reluctantly wend their way
home, thinking more about the music
and of the pleasant intercourse with
friends than of anything of political
nature.
1t must be admitted, though, that
they have a very great respect for
I Mayor ''Joen Fern. who mingles with
them freely and who really is a shake
hands politician of ability. Big Bill
Jarrett and Charley Rose are also
warmly greeted in the Democratic fold.
Outside of these three, it can not be
seen that any of the rest of the candi-
dates have much of a hold upon the
people who attend these meetings.
Mayor Fern generally passes his hat
| to the chairman of the meeting to hold
while he is speaking. One evening this
week n chairman got tired of holding
it and passed it to the man with the
tin cup and water bucket. As it inter.
fered with this individuals duties in
passing out refreshment to the crowd
he put it on top of his own, and seemed
quite proud of being under the mayor Is
hat.
The mayors speeches generally close
with an appeal to friendship. Friends
! is friends,'' he emphaticallv declares
"'and We are all friends. If you are
| hungry, you come to my house; if
am hungry, | come to your house. We
are all friends and must stick to-
! gether. "
One evening when his honor was tell
ing about his troubles with the board
of supervisors and how the Republicans
had tried to hold up his appointments
| one of his constituents leaned over an
said to the reporter that if he had been
mayor he would have called out thu
United States troops to enforce those
appointments. Because the mayor did
not do so marked him as n man of great
loindliness and patience, he said, and OF
truly Christian character.
At another time one of his honor Z
friends in n speech said that E'wheI
Mayor Fern was elected last time Their
were three mayors running for the of
! fee" Nobody seemed to notice the
slight discrepancy.
Probably the most confusing subject
TO the Democratic party is the imnligra
tion question. Those who could tall
intelligently on the subject if they
wanted to are singularly silent-seen
to be afraid and say as nearly nothing
as possble-leaving this most important
plank to the mercy of spellbipders who
have very dim idea of what it is al
about.
One of these said the other evening
that he didn't mind the japanese sc
much because they "immigrationed D
to the plantations, but that the Rus
SLAMS 'immigrationed to Honolulu and
stayed here"
Another declared that If many more
people came here the stores wOuldn'i
have enough supplies and then where
would we BET
These serious statements are the re
suits of the Democratic party's leaving
this question to be handled by incom
petent speakers, and it is remarkable
to hear the guesses they make in theil
endeavors to justify their anti this and
anti that.
The music between the acts is always