The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-08-05

by the espionage that Plaisted, who
reached the Governorship, was also
favored with a Democratic Legislature
to back him. His first act on attain
ing office was to throw the obnoxious
Sturgis commissioners out of office in
the most summary fashion; and when
the Legislature sent to him an act for
new vote of the people on the re-
tention of the ancient constitutional
cause he signed it with undisguised
enthusiasm.
The date for resubmission has been
fixed for Sept. ~, and the discussions
it has aroused absorb the people to the
exclusion of all other topics. The Pro-
hibitionists are struggling with the
energy of fanatics to bring about a
vote for retention. They have been
so long pointing with pride" to the
great Prohibition State of Maine as
beacon light in the temperance cause
that they cannot easily reconcile them
selves to her loss. The license ele-
ment in the liquor ranks are for just
that reason, eager to take her from
them. But it is said that some of the
distilling and brewing interests are
helping the Prohibitionists on the
theory that Maine absorbs more under
the cover of her temperance constitu-
ton than she would care to guzzle in
open licensed drinking places.
Both sides are preparing for pos
sible defeat in the September vote by
raising technical objections to the le-
gality of the election. 1t seems that
the Constitution authorizes even spe
cial elections only in the years in
which the general elections are held;
and this happens to be an off year in
the State of biennial voting.
The side to be whipped in September
may be counted upon taking the point
to the courts for adjudication. If the
liquor men are beaten, they will try to
have the election set aside and new
day fixed for a second trying out of
conclusions with their prohibition foes
If the prohibition side loses, and it's
appeal to the courts should result in
the defeat of the election, it is not so
likely to urge a second vote on more
constitutional day. Such an outcome
of the controversy would leave the
clause, which is thei rprodest boast,
Just where it is. Should it all end in
the clause being taken out of the
Constitution, the Legislature is ex-
pected to replace the State wide pro-
hibition with a county option law as
drastic as that of Alabama.
Taking a cue from the Maine move
ment, the saloon interests in Kansas
are organizing for a resubmission of
that States constitutional prohibition
clause They quote Governor Stubbs's
recent announcement that since pro-
.hibition was made State wide, Kansas
has tolerated the boot-legger, the
'speak-easy, the basement-attic joint, |
and every other kind of liquor law
violation too long" as a Prohibition
lists confession that, whatever it may
do elsewhere, prohibition does not pro-
hibit in Kansas, while they picture a
decadence in the cities and towns of
the State as one of the dire results of
her prohibition policy. They have es-
tablished more than one thousand
branches of a State organization,
whose mission is to promote the cleo
ton, this Fall, of a Legislature that
will enact a law for resubmission.
Their canvass had scarcely been
started before they ran up against the
Isuffragettes, and fear that they may
have struck a dead wall. The liquor
forces know that they always have to
fight the influence of the women. But
the women of Kansas are getting
ready to do more than exert an influ-
,ence. They have just persuaded the
Legislature to submit a female sui,