Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-10-19
OLESON MAKES
Strong ADDRESS
Says Securing Federal Pro-
hibition Not
Needed.

y
of the Hawaiian Board of Missions,
delivered one of the best, If not the
ablest, addresses in the history of
the society.
Mr.. oleson emphasized the fact
that he was opposed to the reopen.
ing of the prohibition problem,
which has caused great deal of ex
element in Hawaii mel. He believ-
ed, however. that 10 any liquor in
terests here attempted to tamper with
the present liquor laws, then II was
proper for anyone to appeal to Con-
gress for substantial consideration.
lie believed, further. that 1t was best
to let well enough alone.
Mr.. Oleson. who had the attention
of his audience at his command, said
In part as follows:
Resentment against Mr.. Woolley
was deep and widespread. BY clev-
er reiteration his reference at Wash
ington to the Hawaiians as being like
| the Indians was made to rankle In
the hearts of men who might other
| wise have voted for prohibition. They
resented the leadership of such ma
| llhini. After two attempts to right
himself with Hawaiian voters. MIR.
Woolley was Obliged to withdraw
from any active public participation
In the campaign. But II was too
late. The cause he represented fell
into the same odlum. It was the
cause OF a malihini, and that. too.
of a malihini who had disparaged
them; and they would have none of
II, as they would not have him.
Again. the plebiscite was ordered by
Congress. In other words, Congress
compelled them to vote on prohibi-
ton. This was new procedure.
What did 1t mean? What would It
here was the first assertion by Con-
gress of right that properly be-
longed to the people. II looked like
the first step to the taking over by
Congress OF other rights of the peo-
pie. II looked like the entering
wedge of government by commission.
This they resented. They did not
propose to relinquish any rights or
to seem to do so. They would rather
block the purposes of Congress by de
feating the thing that Congress
wanted to have done. Congress, so
they had been told. was in favor of
prohibition. Therefore they would
vote against II. And they did, and
that, too, probably in considerable
numbers.
The prohibition campaign had no
acknowledged. responsible and com
petent lenlc", With an enthusiasm
that presaged victory. committee OF
over a hundred citizens was organ.
lied. This committee was subdivid-
ed into a few committees OF a few
members each, and then for weeks
there was silence over the face of
the deep. Questions by members OF
the Committee OF One Hundred as
to what was being done elected scant
response. There was an air OF Sc
crecy that was at least perplexing.
There were hints of n whirlwind An
ish at the last. Then came an enor-
nous meeting. And then came the
election; and the count was three to
one against us.
!, "At this distance, and with the
facts Of grave oversight and inefii-
cheney before us, we are compelled to
admit that there was a lamentable
lack OF comprehensive grasp of the
situation and an absence OF any suf-
ficient plan. There was a disastrous
delay In getting to work. II was a
free-as-you-go campaign with no cor
relation of forces and no unity of
plan. And the prohibition vote was
small. II was not gotten out There
were four thousand. out OF thirteen
thousand registered, voters who did
not go to the polls. This was over
80 per cent. That means that one
voter in every three stayed at home.
"The result OF the plebiscite, more
over, has been to postpone indefinite
ly any further consideration OF Ter
. ritorial prohibition. The prepender-
ance of citizen opinion Is clearly
, against any such further agitation
That question Is settled until there
shall be among us radical difference
, in conditions and in changed conyic-
tion wrought through serious menace
, to one present law.
while things continue as they
are, am personally opposed to any
reopening of the question OF securing
Federal prohibition through enact
\ ment by Congress.
The w. C. 7. U. has been in exist
ence about twenty-six years. Mrs. J
NJ. whitney having been Its presl'
dent almost continuously. Yesterday
she was reelected as president, n pc
sition which she highly honors, The
other officers who We're duly elected
r are: Vice-presidents, Mrs Doremui
, Scudder, Mrs. J. W. Wadman; CORE
spending secretary. Mrs T.. W Jor
4 dan; recording secretary, Miss II. II