Ahailono o ka Lahui, Volume I, Number 24, 6 February 1890 — Page 2
The National Herald.
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HONOLULU, FEBRUARY 6, 1890.
THE Advertiser contains the rather surprising statement that the property and income qualification did not save the reform party from defeat. We are not aware that this qualification was established for any such purpose.
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THE DAY!
The people of Oahu are to be congratulated. The good fight has been fought and complete victory has been won in this island. From what is already known of the political feeling here and on the other islands there is no doubt that the National Reform party will have a working majority in the next legislature. We agree with a pronounced mahority of the people of Oahu in declaring that the result of yesterday’s vote is in favor of a manly and just government in the interests of all the industrial classes of the kingdom without race prejudice or class distinction.
It is as yet too soon to attempt to analyze the vote and determine the results secured to the people ,- -certainly here and almost without doubt to a greater or less extent on the islands not yet officially heard from. The general result of the Oahu election, however, makes several points very clear. The Oahu election has been won by majorities which leave no opening for cavil. The people of Oahu have declared in the plainest language that they do not endorse the past course and policy of the government party. At the same time it should be remembered that public rebuke has been given rather to the political leaders and various cliques responsible for the past policy and political conduct of the government party, than to the personnel of the ticket itself.
Another fact clearly brought out is that the present victory on Oahu was gained y the united vote of all classes of our people. It is not a native victory; it is not a victory of the dissatisfied foreign element resident here; it is not a factional on personal victory, as have been most of those won in this past, but it is a victory of the united people over those objectionable political elemets which have heretofore succeeded in controlling and running the government in the interest of a portion of the people. In Oahu the people have at last taken matters into their own hands, as they have doubtless done throughout the islands, and have declared their will, which every candidate elected will be required to carry out to the letter as provided for in the people’s platform.
Those who are already refusing to take their defeat like men, and learn a lesson for the future therefrom, are but adding another to the long list of political mistakes already made and condemned by yesterday’s vote. The cry of a race prejudice is certainly untimely at this late day. It would be a better and more patriotic course to remember that the past controllers of the party, which has just suffered overwhelming defeat on Oahu, ate the cause of the effect with which they now angrily blame the people. It is pretty evident that the people of Oahu have confidence in themselves although they have none in the government. It is also quite logical and consistent for confidence abroad to be placed where the people of these islands wish to place it: viz., in the people’s government constitutionally elected.
It is, therefore, doubly foolish to attempt to keep the fact before the public that race or rather class prejudice has heretofore existed as an element in Hawaiian politics. One of the prominent results of the election on Oahu yesterday will be to unite all classes of our cosmopolitan people more closely and consequently allay the political prejudices, which have been largely produced and fostered by the conduct of the party that has now happily and justly lost the controlling power.
The attempt to throw blame upon the native Hawaiians as a race for the defeat of the nobles’ ticket of the government party is as foolish as it is unjust. An analysis of the Oahu vote will bear our no such claim. The truth is, as before stated, the government has not suffered defeat through the votes of any one race, but through the united votes of all classes of our people. It is prominently the fact that the nobles’ ticket of the government party was defeated by the union of a large percentage of the foreign noble vote with the majority of native electors, who were fortunately able to qualify under our present election law.
The truth is that the present election as settled so many of the political difficulties heretofore existing that our opposing political brethern are without an issue and are consequently prone to exhibit old arguments in new words. On the other hand the people prefer to take the victory thus far secured quietly and without unseemly display. Political justice has now probably been secured at a late day, it is true; but the people do not propose to use political power unjustly. The interests of all classes of our citizens must be conserved and protected and to this end we firmly believe the policy of the National Reform party will be directed, should the returns from the other islands give the people full control of government!
A laughable incident occurred yesterday in the fifth district. A native approached the table on which were placed two boxed for votes—one for nobles and one for representatives. The inspector was in the act of depositing his vote in the box when the native caught sight of the legend, “W.L. Wilcox, Inspector,” inscribed on the other box and exclaimed “I don’t want that box, put it in the Wilcox box!”
Company A, Honolulu Rifles will meet this evening at half past seven o’clock.
The steamer kinau will sail to-morrow afternoon on her usual route. She will carry the news of the National Reform victory on Oahu to the people of Maui and Hawaii.
THE OAHU ELECTION.
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THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE!
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A Glorious Victory for the National Reform Party!
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A Straight Ticket Elected with One Exception!
Yesterday the general election was held.
“The day so mild,
Was Heaven’s own child,
With earth and ocean reconciled.”
The passions engendered by political strife, the prejudices aroused by inflammatory appeals from press and stump, in short, all the bitterness sown during the canvass seemed to have died away. The scenes at the polls were as quiet and uneventful as the gathering on Sunday in front of a rural church. It was in every way a model election. The polling places were utilized for transaction of the people’s business. The conduct of the people was orderly and the demeanor of the election officers faultless. There were two polling places in each o the five districts. Below will be found tables giving the votes of these.
Returns from the sixth district indicate the election of Rev. J. Paikuli over J.L. Kaulukou by 130 to 128. In the seventh district A. Rosa met with no opposition. In the eighth Hon. A. Kauhi received 81 and J.I. Dowsett, Jr., 41 votes. Outside districts are yet to be heard from on the vote for nobles, but the Honolulu majorities are so large that these returns cannot disturb the result. From all which it will appear that the National Reform party has eleted nine nobles and seven representatives, while the government party has secured one representative in the person of Cecil Brown.
REPRESENTATIVES
FOR THE ISLAND OF OAHU.
1 st prec. 2 d prec. Total. Maj.
First district.
Cecil Brown 106 199 305 12
John E. Bush 169 123 292
Second district.
W.H. Cummings 224 187 411 193
S.K. Kane 90 128 218
Third district.
A. Marques 202 240 442 218
M.A. Gonsalves 142 82 224
Fourth district.
T.R. Lucas 297 104 401 193
J.F. Morgan 78 130 208
Fifth district.
R.W. Wilcox 149 217 366 250
W.C. Achi 47 69 114
NATIONAL REFORM TICKET.
LET US BE MANLY IN DEFEAT!
To the Editor of the National Herald:
SIR :- -During the heat of the election exaggerations of feeling, description, prejudice and passion are but natural. They are campaign weapons. But when the battle is over and the smoke has cleared away, there is no longer use for the same weapons. Then is the time for a clear and calm contemplation of the field of strife to ascertain the extent of the victory or defeat. Wrathful discharges of invective will not add to or detract from the result.
He who belongs to the winning side should accept his victory with forbearance, and he who suffers defeat should admit it with reasonable good nature and sanf froid. In such spirit the result of the election yesterday has been generally received. The Advertiser, however, indulges in a burst of unworthy spite over the issue of the election. It asserts that the minority was composed of the property, inteligence and respectability of the community.
The property as established by the property qualifications estimate must have been with the victorious party. Intelligence is not confined to any one party, and respectability is sometimes a matter of opinion. The organ further says, “ everyone knows how professional and business men voted yesterday. It is this enlightened public sentiment which forced the opposition to adopt a progressive platform.” Why not go a little further and say that the minority of voters to pronounce in favor of National Reform principles? It is the essence of smallness to belittle a victory by ascribing it to the connivance or favoring tactics of the defeated party.
ONE OF THE DEFEATED.
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To the Times:
Fare thee well! and if forever,
Still forever fare thee well!
-- Byron.