The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-04-27
Speakers Admit Organization
Would Jonah Any candi-
date For Office Here
"H0NEsT CONFESSION" is
MADE IN FULL At MEETING
Scion and Member Of Body Is
sues Warning Against
Endorsing Anyone

On the ground that any candidats
handicapped by It's support would b.
absolutely doomed 20 defeat, the cham
Der Of commerce yesterday afternoon
BY vote Of an overwhelming majority
decided not to enter politics or to par
ticipate in any way in the coming mu
nicipal elections
The chamber not only. declined !,
participate in the elections as an organ.
,zation, but II refused to eountenanc,
any resolution looking toward securing
the support Of its individual members
for the candidacy Of any person o.
group Of persons. The reason was th,
same--that such candidates would b,
tagged as chamber Of commerce eandi
dates and would therefore be incon
iinently defeated at the polls.
The meeting was a cross between {
| political powwow and an experiene,
meeting. If confession be good for tb,
lsoul, the members Of the chamber shoulc
nave rested easy on their pillows las
night, for they barred their limos
thoughts and cried "mea culpa" il
heartfelt tones.
Not one, but several, members warn
ed the meeting that any effort 20 par
ticipate, as a chamber, in politics woulf
have disastrous effect; wonld not onl,
result in the defeat Of the unfortunat
candidates saddled with the chamber l
support, but would injure the organiza
ton itself in the eyes Of the poolas anC
other voters who have learned to mey
i with alarm the chamber 5 efforts to in
terfere in public affairs.
Colon Sends Warning ~
| But the climax came when lettei
was read from q distinguished nembe
of the senate who Is also member o.
the chamber Of commerce. This sena
tor, whose name the president Of tn,
chamber said was TO be held secret (ant
we bow TO the censor) told the chambe
lot Of things about itself that soml
! Of the members seemed dimly to hav,
suspected before. He didn't mince an,
words He told them plainly that i
would be the height Of foolishness TO
them to mix in politics and that thei
sfforts along that line would have abou
the same effect as the Ridiculous as
sault made upon the legislature by tn
chamber = Fighting Phalanx" in tn
matter of the charter bill or the equal,
Ridiculous full page advertisement
il ran In the daily papers in foolisl
effort to cram its views down tn
throats Of the legislature.
Unfair To Candidate
For the chamber to support, endors
or back any candidate Of set Of candi
dates, the senator wrote, would be al
solutely to insure the defeat of such M
fortunates; it wouldn't be fair TO an
candidate, he said, TO burden him wit
/. the chamber support.
The famous march Of the "Fightin
Phalanx," he declared, had aroused
wave of resentment among the voter
and any future attempt Of the chambs
to interfere in public matter could bT
result in defeat and severe injury {
the organization itself in the eyes {
the electorate.
{ The reading Of the letter was greete
with burst Of applause and when n
! vote was taken few minutes afte
ward on the question Of the ehamb'
Of commerce endorsing and working *
the election of four candidates for SUI
eryisors, the proposition was owe
whelmingly defeated. Only four men
beers voted for it.
N The meeting began with the readir
Of report by the committee on count
; and municipal affairs, Of which Norma
Watkins is chairman. The commit,
Recommended the adoption Of a resol
tion that the chamber of commerce
an organization actively and aggre
I siyely support at least four eandidat
for supervisors who would work 4
sound business principles Of governme
in municipal affairs.
Committee's Report
Watkins spoke in favor Of his resol
tion. "The administration Of the Q
D fairs Of this city, he said, sis
4 many ways very unsatisfactory. II
deplorable the way certain Affairs a
= carried on. The committee beliey
d that il every member takes off his co
e and works for the election Of TO
u supervisors who will give the city
!. business administration. III ma
y some Roadway. II viii be an enteri
'. wedge TO better deeds TO follow.
" The speaker admitted that he didr
4 suppose the chamber could be entire
successful in its efforts along the II
II proposed. He didn't suppose the cha
Al Der could educate the people In Il
4. days to business administration, 9
N must be admitted he said THAT I
"A chamber Of eommeree doesn' Il get We
D close to forming public opinion. J
~ don't get next TO the fellow on
street corner. don't think the chr
AZ Der or the newspaper have a very
4 influence in the formation Of pub
NJ opinion. But we have got TO make
ID start along good government lines.
don't know that we can be any pow
=. at all in the coming campaign but |
Il time has come when we should make
81 start. / move the adoption of the co
! mittee's report = l
3 Resolution Opposed
n The rasolutiOu wac yf0OrOualy