The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-05-24
HISTORY OF PRIMARY
BILL LAST SESSION
HOUSE FULFILLED PLEDGE BUT
SENATE Killed THE
MEASURE.
CFrom wednesdayls Advertiser.l

From Wednesday, Advertiser,)
"Since renewed agitation has called
attention to the failure of the passage
Of primary law by the last terri
torial legislature have been told by
q number of men on the street that the
1911 session did absolutely nothing
along the line of giving the public this
much wanted measure" said Represen.
tative Alfonso yesterday.
"Now, this is not so; for 1 know
personally, that the house of represen.
tatives considered and passed a bill
Oh. B. 80 entitled An Act to Provide
for Nominations by Direct Vote, in
troduced by Hon. Norman Watkins the
second day of the session, February 10,
1911, when the bill passed first reading
by title, being then referred to the
printing committee from whence it was
returned to the house duly printed on
February %. The bill had its second
reading the same day and was referred
to the judiciary committee, Hon. A. L.
Castle, chairman. This committee split
on the measure, the majority, composed
of w. ]. Sheldon, j. H. Coney and II. 5
Richard, recommending the tabling of
the bill because the majority did not ap-
prove of the bill either in the form in
which it was introduced or as amended
by Hon. A. /. Castle and Hon. E. A. q,
Long, The minority report of the com
mittee, signed by A. l.. Castle and r. A.
G. Long, strongly urged its passage.
The minority said in its report: 'We
think the proposed bill will go long
way towards curing the evils complain
ed of in the present system of nominal
ing candidates. We point
to the fact that direct primary has
been an acknowledged success in many
States
"'The report of the minority was
adopted,
"The house passed the bill on third
reading March 81. the thirty-fourth
day of the session, by the following
vote:
"Ayes: Alfonso, Archer, Castle, Cock.
EFT, Cooke, Correa, Fernandez, Kaman-
oulu, Kanekoa, Kawaakoa, Keliinoi,
Lsng, Mahoe, Makekau, Marcallino,
Rice, Tavares, Towse, Waiaholo, Wat
kins, Williamson, Yates and Mr.. Speak
er-23.
"Noes:-Hale, Hubby, Kawewehi,
Moanauli and Rickard-5.
Absent, Sheldon, and excused from
voting, Coney.
Killed in Senate.
"The bill, as passed by the house.
then went on its perilous journey to the
regions of the upper house-the sen,
ate-where it was finally put to SLEEP
by the conservative solons, all of whom
had been elected on platforms which
called for the enactment of a primary
law.
"'Here is the history of the primary
law in the senate: Received from thu
house March 2s and passed first read
ing that day. Referred to a select com
mittee composed of the senators from
Oahu. After being in the hands of thi
select committee for fourteen days {
report was Forthcoming which recon
mended the passage of II. B. 81. TIL,
bill made its last appearance in the sen
ate April 10 for its third reading an,
was tabled upon motion of Senate
Fairchild, seconded by Senator Make
kau.
''The Senate Journal does not tel
us who voted for the tabling of tn
primary law though on page 1852 we fin
that Senators Cecil Brown, chairman
Quinn, Kaleiopu, Chillingworth an
Judd Moore being absent on tn
COAST signed the report recommendin
the passage of the bill.
81 believe that, were special ses
sion of the legislature called to pass
primary law, the house of represents
tives as now constituted would pass tn
measure but I doubt if the senat
would concur with the house.
81 believe in the primary law an
have always been for it for do not b.
lieve that nominating conventions a
now constituted carry out the wishes O
the people at large at all times.'