The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-07-23

A CASUAL observer might suppose tina
just at this particular time, this crisis W,
may call it, when the Sovereign deems i
advisable to put aside ordinary forms an(
methods OF communication with his Leg
| islature. that the Ministers might for til,
nonce be frightened into temporary gooC
behavior. But the evil Is ingrained. on,
cannot scrub black moor white, neither
can fair words, or foul, get honest worl
from a Cabinet like the present
In the last biennial session, at the in
stance of the present Minister of Foreign
Affairs, it was made unlawful, would that
it had been made penal, to spend public
money for one purpose which had been
appropriated for another. The Report OF
the Finance Committee TO the present
Legislature revealed the fact that this had
nevertheless been done to a startling ex.
tent The illegality of the action OF the
Ministers was exposed, commented on.
reprehended, in language that would have
driven any man or set of men, with spark
OF manly honesty about them, to resign
their official positions, for, they might have
reasoned, "let it be granted that we acted
irregularly, yet we meant it for the best,
but since the Legislature looks on our ac-
ton as absolutely criminal, we can retain
office no longer" Not so these men, with
nothing but bald bungling, useless, trans
parent mendacity have they clung to their
places and profits. Why the King has al
lowed them to remain where they are,
passes the comprehension Of any man not
familiar with backstairs influences.
Now, however Just as the King has again
called the attention of the Legislature TO
the urgent necessity for rigorous economy,
and the closest attention to the proper ex-
penditure ofpublic moneys, those hardened
mal-administrators, emboldehed probably
by their past immunity, are again caught
red handed in the act Of Illegal transfer.
The existing Legislature, only few
weeks ago on a motion by Hon j Mott
Smith, appropriated $4,000 distinctly for
the purpose of forwarding japanese immi
grafton, of this sum $4,000 was entrusted
TO the Hawaiian Consul General in Japan,
for carrying out the object for which it
was voted, of the remainder S3,S05 has
been already paid out on account of Por-
tHgWese immigration.
The Minister Of Interior said "he had
not intended to defy any law" There
We're funds coming in on account of Por
tuguese immigration that would soon
put matters to rights again, besides immi
grafton was immigration, and Japanese or
Portuguese what did it matterl Is not
this the invariable argument of the till
robber who only takes a little money, Just
TO help him out of immediate difficulties,
he has money coming in shortly and then
he will make it squarei OF course Foreign
Affairs came TO the rescue Of his colleague
and announced that he, Gibson, was per
fectly. satisfied that no disrespect to the
Legislature was intended. OF course the
Hon. members for the capital city, and the
rest of the gambling club. strove to shield
their bread givers The Auditor General
by his vote that he was ready
to justify this as well as past irregularities.
but to no purpose.
The Ministers were again caught 81,
rGgrul,te delietu," and this time their ears
were nailed to the door, like the dishonest
tradesmen of old, and Representative W.
D. Smith clinched the nail by moving i'm
mediate reconsideration which was mega
lived
The Ministers wore their brassiest brass !
n the afternoon, but Hon Gulick hesitated |
md equivocated, Hon. Kapcna ranted and |
'colded, Hons Gibson and Neumann alone |
we're successful in playing the game of |
1luff. However, there they all were in the |
Ministerial seats