The Hawaiian gazette., 1888-05-08
POSITION OF THE GAZETTE.

The Bulletin impertinently refers to
the GAZETTE as 'the recognized Gov
eminent organ" There is column
in the GAZETTE more or less engaged
by the Government, as there is also
sometimes in the Bulletin, headed
''By Authority" which the Ministry
controls to the extent that they re-
quire, by payment of advertising
rates Just as the auctioneers have
control in other columns. Beyond
that the Government has neither a
particle of interest in, nor control
over the DAILY or WEEKLY HAWAIIAN
GAZETTE. The presence of a Min
lister in the GAZETTE Office, or of the
editor of the GAZETTE in Minister'S
Office, is so rare an event as to be
comparable to the proverbial angels
visits to this terrestrial sphere.
Neither do any of the Ministers
attempt any authoritative control
over the editorial columns of this
paper, and none of them has ever
contributed an article thereto, except
on occasions all told so few that they
could be counted on the fingers of
one hand, and then only to reply to
some fragrant misrepresentation of
their administrative acts, or to de-
monstrate in non-partisan way some
particular line of policy, in the latter
Ia single) case the article being as
adaptable to the news columns as to
the editorial. To be more explicit
since the Bulletin shows such eager
ness to propagate false impression
we can only recall four occasions
when members of the present Min
istry, since taking Office, contributed
anything to the editorial columns of
the GAZETTE. Beyond an occasional
telephone or other verbal message, by
way Of friendly suggestion or inform
alton, the Ministers have no COM
munication with the editorial depart
ment of this paper Moreover, all
of the articles just now referred to
were for the regular editorial accept
ance or rejection'at discretion. The
Hawaiian Gazette Company, Linn
tied" employs an editor whom they
honor with full confidence in direct
ing the policy of the paper, which he
does in direct and consistent line, so
far as possible, with the political
principles that characterized the two
daily papers previously under his
independent control The GAZETTE
has, under past as well as present
editorial management, as often led as
followed the party that placed the
present Ministry in power. 1t sup
ports the present Government
upon well-detined principles, but
has not hesitated at different
times to criticise details Of the adj
ministration. With regard to some
acts of the present Ministry, the
GAZETTE has defended the admins
tration against attack, upon grounds
similar to those upon which the
present writer upheld different Glib
son administrations in almost iden-
teal situations. As the Bulletins
phrase above quoted is preceded by
a statement to the effect that His
Majesty has taken serious affront at
his Cabinet for offensive and in
sulting articles published in the
GAZETTE against the Sovereign" a
word or two in that regard will be
proper. In the first place, the GA
zETTE denies publication Of articles
that can Justly be characterized in
the terms quoted. Secondly, if any
body who has right to do so, re-
quests an affidavit to that effect, it
will be promptly forthcoming, where
in deponent will declare that the
Ministers, OF any of them, have
never written or suggested line
that has appeared in the GAZETTE
under present editorial manage
ment, referring in any way whatever
to the Sovereign, with the single ex-
ception that the Attorney General
was good enough to present us with
a printed copy of the brief prepared
by his associate counsel, Mr.. Hart
well, in the Veto case, but did not
even ask that the document should
be published. Not member of the
Cabinet ever knew in advance of
publication anything whatever of our
| uttefdnceS upon Tie feIO question:
The Bulletin, in its evident anxiety to
place this paper in a false light, has,
in the reference herein objected to,
violated known principle of that
papers present editorial manage
ment, which is that no contemporary
should be referred to in its columns
as :" the Government organ" If our
contemporary finds anything in this
paper, either in support of the Gov
eminent or otherwise, with which it
disagrees, let it oppose our opinions
upon the merits, leaving to street
gossipers the entertainment of specu-
lating upon the lmmaterial issues of
authorship. Finally, this article is
not inspired, suggested, or pre-
scribed, and until its publication
nobody will know its contents, tone,
purport, or motive-unless surrep-
I