Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-08
LANES CONCLUSION
IN LINE WITH STRONG
SENTIMENT IN HAWAII

Secretary Lanes conclusion that
/ Governor Frear should not be re-
! moved now and that no appointment
OF a successor should be made until
autumn is a strong Endorsement OF
/ the stand first taken by The Star
] Bulletin month ago.
On April s this paper urged upon
the people of the territory that Presi-
dent Wilson and Secretary Lane
should be. asked to defer action until
the gopernorship situation, so far as
! the candidates were concerned.
should be cleared up. Editorially,
/ The Star-Bulletin said:
The first of September. 1913, Is
the logical time for change in gov
ernors tc be made; change can be
made then with the least clashing of
policies and methods: with the great
est efficiency. The new governor can
enter the Office with the territory
swept fairly clean of accumulated
business; with new financial bud
get; with clean slate. Governor
Frear himself, it may be stated, thor
oughly agrees with this view.
In the second place, a change of
governors now would bring no assur-
ance to the territory that a new man
had been named in whom the terri
tory could place its confidence of
ability, comprehensive grasp and
keen desire for the common, good
The situation now, with regard to
the Democratic candidates, is unfort-
innate, and to many it is intolerable.
To speak plainly, none of the candi-
dates whose claims have been placed
before President Wilson has a gen
eral following, general backing, in
the territory. The Democratic party
is hopelessly divided in bitter fac
tional dispute. and already the scram-
bic for the Office has developed an
unsavory set of charges that are
bound to leave their faint, even
though disproved. With the adher-
ents of three Democratic factions
urging each for its man an immedi-
ate appointment, the territory in
general shrinks from the possibilities
should President Wilson change gov
errors at this time.
Nothing more on this point need
be said; the situation is such that it
is generally recognized.
Such are some of the reasons why
a change of governors at this time
is to be respectfully opposed In
favor of longer consideration of an
appointment by President Wilson
there are equally strong arguments.
Should no change be made until Sep
TENDER 1, the president will have sew
eraI months in which to familiarize
himself with Hawaii's conditions and
Hawaiis needs. 1t is not impossible
that Mr.. Wilson and Secretary Lane
might find it advisable to send a
commissioner to Hawaii to look into
the situation. None of the present
candidates could, we affirm, object to
such a course, and it would commend.
itself forcefully to very many of Ha-
waits thinking citizens. At any rate,
while Governor Frear is clearing up
the slate for successor on or about
September l. the governorship stu
alton, speaking now of candidates,
would be clearing itself up. 1t is a
rather hopeless situation now,-the
one ray of hope being that no sum-
mary action will be taken.
The governor does not want an
other four-year appointment; that he
has already said and he has not
changed his mind. He desires, as
he stated two years ago, to complete
his work, and he believes that time
will lie September 1, 1913. Il
The Star-Bulletin believes that
Hawaii's people, Hawaii's leading
men and women, Hawaiis business
interests, can well serve their terri
tory by urging upon Mr.. Wilson to
make no change in the executive Of
flee until September l, 1913; and, if
any appointment is made sooner,
that such appointment shall not be-
come effective until that time"
The suggestion made by this paper
was Immediately acted upon by many
people of the territory and letters
were sent to Washington urging the
retention of Governor Frear until the
autumn. That Secretary Lane saw
the force of the arguments as the
various gubernatorial candidates
reached Washington, and the in
volved situation became evident, is
shown by his decision, as told in
cable news today, that Governor
Frear should be allowed to hold Of
flee as he desires, until the fall.
Today there is much hope ex
pressed that the president will agree
with Mr.. Lane.