Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1912-05-23
Attack On Measure Challenged
BY Advocates-PubIicity for
Campaign Funds Asked.

Prominent Republicans, meeting to
talk over amendments TO the party
rules last night didn't stick very close
70 their text, but in wandering afeld
at times they developed discussion
considerably more interesting and in.
structive than the proposed amend.
ments that were brought up.
The direct primary brought out the
edifying debate, and incidentally Il
brought out considerable inside his.
tory as to past campaigns and legisla.
tive sessions.
Ed Towse appeared championing n
substitute measure for the direct pri.
mary. This Is bill he introduced at
the last session of the Legislature as
House Bill No 221, providing not for
a direct primary. but for closer legal
control of primaries, TO prevent ballot.
box stuffing and kindred evils. His
plan is for both parties to have prima
ries on the same day and thus elimi
nate back-and.forth voting. Provisions
for making the precinct club meetings
open and above-board are also incor.
porated.
Towse, in speaking for his measure,
declared that there Is little likelihood
of the people OF Hawaii getting a d.
rect-primary law for eight years or so.
~ am not In favor of the direct pri.
mary. voted for Il at the last Leg.
islature because II was a party meas.
ure and ] voted as a party man. ire,
spective of my personal beliefs" he
said. 81 believe that what we should
do Is to clean up the present primary
nd ttsinA N,,i bn l.l
have grown up IN precinct clubs"
Towse Is Challenged.
Towses statements on the direct
primary were Immediately challenged
by A. ID. Castro, A. Q. Marcallino and
others, and he was asked point-blank
why he ran on platform containing
direct-prlmary plank and why he
voted for the bill In the house, II he
was not in favor II. Marcallino. a fel.
low.member of Towse In the House,
said that he always believed Towse
voted for the primary "tO save his
face" And then" said Marcailino,
when II passed the House he went
over to the Senate members and work.
ed against IT,"
When II came to the question Of
whether or not the direct primary is
something the people of Hawaii want,
opponents of the measure were given
even q hotter argument.
Eugene Buffandeau. who during the
evening contented himself with de.
claring loudly AT frequent intervals
that there was no use changing the
rarty rules, II there we're abuses of the
rules what are YOU going to do about
it,, made an attack on the direct pri,
mary. declaring that II had been fore
ed on the Republican party by a few
people. and that the majority of the
voters don't want II.
History Disproves This. ..
Then the advocates OF the measure
showed how the primary has been
adopted by three conventions and
beaten In three Legislatures. Marcal'
limo declared that II had been beaten
by few of the people downtown
who had enough influence to lobby
against the bill successfully.
At this point someone suggested
that II there was any doubt as to whe,
Their or not the people of Hawaii want
the measure, plebescite will settle II
mighty quick.
And" remarked District Attorney
bTeChOHb, III my OplnlOH " pleDlS
cite we're held, the people would vote
three or four to one in favor of it,"
Towse gave some inside history on
his measures career In the Legisla
ture. lie declared that he drew II
hastily, but that II was given favor
able consideration by both Governor
Frear and the Attorney General. II
passed both houses, aud then Frear
pocket-vetoed II. Towse said that he
was Frear man, "but | have never
been able to quite understand why the
Governor pocket.vetoed that BILL" he
observed.
Holding equal place with the prima
ry discussion In point of interest was
the argument over Breckons' proposal
that campaign funds be given system
attic publicity. both in collection and
expenditure. Here Chairman Crabbt
OF the special committee on rules In
terposed several objections based OF
the light Of past experience in gettinf
party funds. He didn't think the plar
would work, and he said so.
in the past we've had several prom
inent contributors to the fund whC