The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-05-24
DIRECT PRIMARY
PROMISES PIUEA
ND TowsE DHoi.ARRs THAT GOV
BRNoR TREAR M OPPOSED TO
PRESENT PLAN


(From Thurtdey's Advertiser)
"Dircct Primary promises 10 be a
hoodoo before the rules committee Of
the Republican party, for the statement
was made At les meeting last night that
Governor Trear ia not in favor Of the
primary bill which was introduced in
the last legislature, passed by the
house but killed by the senate, nor in
favor Of Towses substitute bin No.
222, but in favor Of the Berkeley sys-
TEN. The statement Of the Governor e
opinion was made by Ed Towse.
Very little light was thrown on the
subject of the direct primary, the mem
bers present being considerably divided
on the matter, and considerable eriti-
cism was directed against party men
elected to the legislature on a platform
containing direct primary plank, who
voted against the measure when it
reached them.
Mr.. Towse, member of the last leg
islature who voted for the primary
measure as introduced by the party,
did so because it was a party measure.
He offered substitute, however, and
stated he has never been in favor of
! the direct primary. He believed the
convention system of naming candi.
dates was more directly in line with
the wishes of the people His ex-
| -. lao 4
him to believe that the voters gave ex-
preston to their wishes as to eandi-
dates more freely than under the pres
ent convention plan. He said he had
seen Governor Frear and Attorney Gen
eral Lindsay in regard to his bill 300.
They were not in favor of it, but the
Governor gave preference to the Berk-
eley system, believing it would work
better in Honolulu than any other. Mr..
Towse felt that because of this prefer
ence his own pet measure had been
pigeonholed. Towse did not favor the
Berkeley system. In Oregon, there had
been four different elections because Of
the recall.
Mr.. Towse suggested that substitute
bill 300 be inserted in the platform this
year.
Mr.. Breckons favored the preferen.
tial system for precincts wherein vot.
ers could express their preference for
candidates for office. Mr.. Castro OPP
posed this plan on the ground that
many complications would arise. He
did not believe it afforded a remedy for
present evils. Mr.. Breckons said he
would like to see the preferential sys.
tenn put into operation this fall.
William Thompson Of the rules com.
mittee gave some inside history con.
corning the direct primary plank in the
last platform. The platform commit.
tee was considerably divided on the
subject and it was only after a hard
struggle that it was finally inserted
but only as to Oahu, to see how il
would work out
Chairman Crabbe believed the pre-.
ferential plan belonged to the legisla.
ture and not to the party and its rules.
1t would be more effective to prevent
fraud if the legislature enacted the
proposal into law, which would then
govern both or all parties.
A. Q. Marcallino championed the di.
rect primary law as the only measure
which would give fair play to the vot.
ers. His conclusion was that the peo.
pie wanted it, but there are people in
the Territory, who are running the poll,
tics of the party, who don t want ia
see it inserted either in the rules OF
in the law. +. Buffandeau was of the
opinion that the majority of the people
did not want such a law.
Mr.. Castro said the last convention
unanimously voted for a direct primary
law. The people will vote for Il
again. Many of the people elected ia
the legislature did not seem to regard
their promises made before nomination
as promise at all.
~ believe plebiscite on the direct
primary would give majority of two
or three to one in favor of it, re-
marked Mr. Breckons.