The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-04-11


remedy any Of the existing evils under
the present system. els q
On this other hand. 7fr. Hoyvse de-
elared that his Substitute bill would
throw all the necessary legal safe.
gnarda around the IS pTimaries. fulfil
promises made in the political plat
forms Of both parties, and remedy as
far Is possible the evils existing under
why his name goes in the housa Journal
as supporting the original bill.
Dropping Towse style.
Judge w, L. whitney said that he
did not know the political game so wen
as Representative Towse, but that he
knew the direct primary laws better
than he. He said that there were three
I general systems of direct primary laws;
I one along the old line, of which the bill
under consideration was a sample; the
very modern, known as the Berkeley
system; and the third being the system
as presented by Mr.. Towse and known
as the Regulative system. Judge Whit
ney said that this latter is the one in
vogue in New York, Virginia, and some
other States, but that they are drop
ping it as rapidly as possible.
Judge Whitney conceded that the
pending bill really necessitated two
campaigns, hut Thought that on ac-
count of the provision to have an in.
terval Of only three weeks between
the primary and the general election
would largely do away with any addi-
tional expense on the part of the can
didates and their parties.
Senator Judd suggested that they
might delete all reference in the bill
to legislative offices and first try it
on the dbg' by having it embrace only
the elective Offices of municipalities,
and Judge whitney admitted that it
might be more successful If it were
restricted to municipality, but he
doubted that such restriction would
comply with the pledges of the Repub-
lican platform.
Democratic Support.
Supervisor Mcclellan said that he
was heartily in favor of direct pri-
mary law, for the direct primary gives
the voters the chance to nominate the
candidates, while under the present sys-
tenn the men whom the people desire 20
be nominated are not always nominated
He raid that h. thought 1t would be a
good thing for the city of Honolulu.
Mr. Rivenburgh said that the only
objection he could see in the bill was
the fact that it would compel the
elector to designate his politics: "We
could not get twenty per cent OF the
Democratic electors in this county,
said Mr.. Rivenburgh, "to 90, to d pri-
mary and face a Republican official and
declare themselves to be Democrats. II
Hawaiian is working for Repub-
liean corporation, and he goes up and
states to the election officials that he
is a Democrat, he viii Immediately be
told by his friends that he will l5sr his
| job. ! think provision int thia hill,
such as they have in San FrancigHo and
in Minnesota, should be iiieorbnrabod
by which you are handed a. ticket hav-
| ing the names of the candidates of all
parties, and you go and vote which
ticket YOU please, without debating
your political affiliation. I think Il law,
to be useful in this Territory, Should
have this provision, as large percent
age of our electors are not independent
men, but men who work for corp1rate
interests. With that amendnent, |
should be in favor of the bill. Z have
not talked this- matter over with the
party leaders to any great exteit, and
The reason l speak as do because
in the Democratic platform we AncIqre
ourselves in favor of direct primary.
assisted in drafting that platform,
and our ideas were similar to those m
cOrporated in the present bill, with the
exception that we did not intend that
the voter should have to declars his
politics."
Ensure Independence.
Senator Chillingworth said that he
agreed with Mr.. Rivenburgh that 1t
would be best to give each man all the
iiots and not compel him to declare
his party afIiliation,
There is no question: sand Sen.
ator Chillingworth, 80 that if the cor.
porate interests of this city wished to
control the campaigns they would sue.
eeed. The Hawaiian who is employed
by some corporation not in sympathy
with his own political views feels hun
self obliged to vote against his own
convictions and side with the corpora
tion. -
Mr.. Chillingworth said that the la.
waiians were as able politicians as there
,
have no difficulty in understanding the
provisions of the bill, and that The bill
was not really so complicated, SO far
as the electors themselves were cor
eerned, as it appeared to be, for it con-
| sisted largely in. outlining and defining
the duties of the officials in chargs Of
the primaries.
Senator Cecil Brown, another member
of the judiciary committee, also ex-
pressed himself to be in favor OF the
amendment suggested by Mr.. Biyen-.
bnrgh.
Ought TO Be Unafraidi
Senator Judd said that he did not
agree with his confreres, as he beloved
that a declaration should be made BIZ
the elector when ne casts his ballot.
II believe said Mr.. Judd, "that il
is step forward in the education Of
this country. A man ought to have the
moral nerve 10 declare TO which party
his political affiliations have led hiri.
The whole object Of This primary law
Is. to encourage party politics, ana we
must have party politics in any Amnri.
an a. 4 4