Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-14
REpusLrcAN VS.. PROGRESSIVE.

i
Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
Sir: In Tuesdays issue of your ex-
! cellent paper l read an interview with
| Mr.. Shingle in regard to our future
representation at Washington. Re
moving from il all party bias, and re-
! fusing myself to enter into any con-
! troversy. cannot understand why
one would not be justified on the ba-
sis of Mr.. Shingles data in conclud-
ing that Progressive should be elect
ed as congressional delegate, If he
believes the republicans will win
many seats in Congress this Noyenl-
her from the Democrats, itswould prob
ably result in putting the balance. of
power into the hands of the Progrts-
sives whose influence then would b.
far out of proportion to their numbers.
! The argument that IL a Democrat is
sent to Washington it will mean that
the treatment OF Hawaii by the pres.
ent administration has been approved
Irests upon the assumption that the
Democrats are themselves pleased
a mere assumption-and upon the
further supposition that Democrats
always stand by party lines and would
! not vote for Progressive:
I II the Democrats had not divided
and voted independently we could not.
have made Lincoln president, and pos
llsibIy not made McKtpiey president In.
1886, nor would we now have Re-
publican governor in sthe Democratic
state Of Tennessee. VIII not high
minded Independent Democrats more
readily unite with similar men OF
other parties in the support ola Pro-
gressive candidate than a Republican? 2
Experience elsewhere proves that
they would.
Again, why should the ProgressivesI
be ranked the third party?
1t proved to be the second party il
the presidential campaign of 1912 and
need not be expected to dissolve Its
1 hardest fight for existence was in New
/ York state where Barnes, Sherman,
Root. Butler and other strong Repub-I
Iicans fought 1t most bitterly. The
/ vote of Roosevelt for president and
!. Straus for governor was most surpris-#
ing in that empire state. Was it a.
mere spasm? A year later we find
! almost a score of representatives sent
to Albany by this new party of the
lpeople. Is it dying in Indiana? If So
I Hon. A. ]. Beverage would not ba1
running as its candidate for COVER
nor. merely state these facts to-
give a hint that MANY of US do not
believe that the Progressives ares like
Fly to disappear FROM American poll.
tics this fall or this quadrennium
Would a Republican or Progressive
be more influential at Washington as
! the representative OF Hawaii? Much
depends upon the calibre and stand.
| ing of the man himself: but outside
of the personal element it seems that
a Progressive would be more influen.I
tial. Democratic leaders are more
concerned over the Progressive move
ment; and Mr.. Bryan and the esteem.
ed scholar whom he made president
and other leaders, are most anxious
to meet this new popular uprising.
They will not yield an inch to their
isoId foe, the G.. o. p. but they Will
| listen to the. new and lusty contest
ant that they believe is stealing
their thunder. to use Mr.. Bryan's Oft
! repeated statement The recall and
referendum and woman suffrage are
not Republican doctrines but Progress
sive,. and the Democratic administers.
tion fears their widespread influence.
| Ny insight may be very imperfect
| and my conclusion most fallacious. 4
am anxious. as. every citizen should
be, to see Hawaii represented by the.
best man available. To secure this
| ! am willing to sacrifice party prefer
ence have written from the Pro-
gressiye viewpoint. but am an inde-
pendent in politics and not a bitter.
partisan. ! am willing to cooperate
with men of all parties in remedying
/ the local conditions which we all de-
plore.
i ] am in love with this territory and
with this city and my interest in the
welfare of the whole territory has led
me to write this letter. Before com
ling here / had read Hawaiian history
and was led to high admiration OF.
1 her people and to firm belief in her
exalted mission In the Pacific. On
: my arrival, however, / was disappoint.
ed over the treatment accorded Ha-
wall by the federal government.
was quite chagrined by finding Hawaii
reckoned as an "insular possession,
by some departments of government;
was surprised at a hint from our gov