Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-24
The DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

The Democratic territorial platform, drafted
in secret and adopted in secret by very few
members of the Democratic party, is docu
ment that will immensely strengthen Republ-
can prospects for the fall campaign.
Few Of the reputable Democrats of Hawaii
will run for office on such platform; fewer
will be elected
h In the main, the provisions are good proyi
siOns-but the exceptions very bad that
the whole platform is not only weak in ''vOte
getting" power but provocative of endless party
fights, factionalism, BITTERNESS, division.
The platform contains several good planks
most of which have already been covered in the
Republican and Progressive platforms. The
proposal for "free port" is not novel sugges
ton, but il is new as political issue and has
several praisew0rthy aspects. Such planks as
those on education, harbor improvements, citi
zen labor, demonstrating, extension of county
government, workmen's compensation, state
hood and amendment of the primary law are
well in place in the platform. They are issues
generally recognized as issues that all parties
should indorse, though there may be minor diff
ferences in detail.
The main part CT the platform is made up of
such panks as these, to which no serious OBJ
lection would be made by any voter, Republi-
can, Democratic or Bull Moose s,a
The two very bad points in this platform are
its fiabby, apologize and yiciously misleading
plank on the tariff, and its no less vicious at
tack on Governor Pinkham 81
The first plank is political fraud, the second
is political blunder.
The tariff plank says 80 a
.'The Democratic party in an almost incredibly
short time has made good its promises and pledges
to the American people sfn gfvfng This nation
IS tariff law. This tariff law touches the entire
commercial life of the nation and believe that
patriotic citizens we ought to meet the con-
ditions In a fair spirit without premature and un-
just criticism.
We're it not for the industrial disaster threat
ening Hawaii because of this very tariff law
such a plank would cause universal smile of
ridicnle to spread from Hawaii to Niihau!
'sMeet the new conditions in a fair spirit
without premature and unjust criticism" Is
that the only thing the Democratic party dares
to say to the voters of Hawaii?
What sort of an answer is that for the bust
ness depression, the curtailment of labor on the
plantations the reduction of forces in practi-1
caIly every business house aud commercial es-|
adjustment, the drop of many millions in tax
valuations, the sudden decrease in territorial
and county revenues?
What sert of an argument is that for a tariff
that is beneitting not the sugar growers of Ha-
waii or Louisiana but the refners, the beet
sugar companies of Europe and the cheap-labor
exploiters of the Java cane-felds.
Is that the sort of stuff that L. L. McCand.
less intends to puryey to the voters from the
stump?
1t will be even more fatal to his chances than
his notorious stand on immigration four years
ago-the stand that alienated some of the most
influential Democrats in the territory and sent
him down to7defeat
The tariff plank in the Democratic platform
is worse than a straddle-it is sneak to the
rear, taiI-between-the-legs fashion. 1t is fraud
because it aims to misrepresent the attitude of
Hawaii on the tariff as affecting sugar.
The plank condemning Governor Pinkham's
administration is a political blunder so gro
tesque that it is funny. The blunder is appar-
emit from the delight with which Republicans
are today hailing the spectacle of a Democratic
platform in one breath lauding Wilson to the
skies for sswise and progressive leadership" and
III another breath denouncing as thoroughly
undemocratic' the administration of Wilson's
appointee. M
That plank alone will ALLEVIATE enough Demo
Gratis of caliber and standing tQ;defeat many a
Democratic nominee ~
From Republican standpoint, the Demo
cratic platform is bully 1t will make many
hundreds of Republican votes i'm November. 1t
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