The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-08-30
RODERICK O. MATHBSON, EDITOR
Patriots and Politics
IRON the mainland, through official 8

IRON the mainland, through official sources,
come words that should put Honolulu up
its toes in anticipation of the developments to fol-
low the signing OF the peace treaty, while we arc
given every assurance from Mr. RoSsetter and
help get ready even before the conclusion of
y the war
N There are indications in every official report
dealing with the trade and commerce the Pacific
that Honolulu is to come into ncr own and be
made one Of the great shipping ccntcrs Of the
worlds greatest ocean.
There arc indications that this is to be, after
the war, greater naval station and
greater garrison city than the most sanguine had
hoped for.
Things that every other city will be forced to
fight for in fierce competition going to be
handed to us. if we only show our inclination and
desr' 20 get them and evidence our ability prop
ery utilize and develop opportunities.
J. AM ow are we moving to show that appre
ciate even a small degree the great promises
4 OF the near future?
Within a few days the lists of nominations for
the party primaries for the choosing of candidates
for our local legislature will close. The legisla-
ture to be elected will be- in all probability, the
"peacc legislature" the territorial governing body
at the most crucial time in all Iawaiis history,
the aw-makng assembly and the apprOpriating
power at a time when Hawaii must be efficiently
prepared to grasp great things.
A. At this time when the present calls for the
. quality of sane retrenchment in legislators,
with buSincSSlike competency in our admlnlstra-
ton, and when the immediate future demands also
that our representatives and senators be men Of
broad vision, capable of planning for big things,
we look in vain through the suggested lists of can
didates for names of men that measure up either
TO the present need the future possibilities
few good names loom prominently out OF the muck
OF third-rat politicians.
Z In this period of dollar a-day men in the federal
service we had hoped to the trained business
men of Hawaii, the keen professional men, the
broadly educated, wide-visiOned veterans OF the
community rise to meet the territorial require
ments and offer themselves for the Legislature as
a matter of patriotic duty. SO far the lists fol
both parties together fail to furnish par
tally satisfactory ticket.
4 Why should the voters OF Hawai- be forced tc
choose its lawmakers from that class OF mer
whose names are never seen as among the leader:
in commerce or the professions? Why is it that mer
i who will serve Hawaii the unpaid cOmmls
sions, in the organizations that do constant com
x munitv work the volunteer basis, who lead II
the Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives, who hon
estlv regret their inability to don uniform anc
.
to whom the community nstinCtlVcly turns IN al
emergency, are not we'll represented in the lis
Il Of legislative candidates.
1t is just patriotic to serve this part OF tn
Union at this time as it is to lead battalion II
France; it is just necessary for the genera
good OF the United States to have trained, honest
4. disintercetcd men at the Capitol on KING Stree
a as at the Capitol Pennsylvan Avenue; 1t l
relatively as important to have the war measure
and the peace preparations OF the Territory OF Tia
+. wall well considered and honestly framed as 1t
to have the war and peace legislation IN Wash
/. ington SO considered and framed.
/. This i, time when should not have to PIC
our lawmakers from the taro patch, the hshmar
n ket the police court legal ring or the pool room
\ fringe. Let us forget the fool things that haV
y heretofore passed in these Islands as poIltlcS an
n reach out for those thing, that mean something
IL this mumcntous period OF the history OF tn
4 Islands.
81 Just at present the primary outlook IS great
4 discouraging, but there is time yet for some c
" the up.n We would like to have and should haV
1 to -l,. forward as volunteers in the cause {
"A Ha o..