The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-24

cerned, he was man who, like Enoch.
might have walked with God =.
| AS to whether or not favoritism exist
ed in the courts heretofore, it may be.
said that men differed then and differ
now and they will continue to differ de-
Grand Jury report cannot change the
opinion of men in matters of that sort.
| CRITICISM A TONIC.
| All departments of government are. at
times, subject to public criticism, and it
| is perhaps better that a good officer
should be unjustly criticised than that q
bad officer should escape criticism alto
gether; and if we should take away en-
tirely or limit the right of the press to
crticise, that would be the inevitable re-
suit. / have in my own personal obser-
walton (not here, but elsewhere) seen cor
rupt and vicious men on the bench able
to hold their positions because the press.
the public and the bar were afraid to
criticise them. Not only are our local
courts the subject of criticism but even
the Supreme Court of the United States
has also been the subject of criticism.
Charles Sumner. one of the most gifted
men ever on the floor of the United
States Senate, man who distinguished
himself by leading the anti-slavery ele-
ment, stood on the floor of the United
States Senate, and denounced the Su-
/
nounced Chief Justice fancy for, the de-
lcision he had rendered in the bred Scott
lease. So, also, only few years ago when
the income tax decision was rendered by
the United States Supreme Court politi-
cal conventions in many States denounc-
ed the Court for having rendered a po-
lticaI decision. United States Senators
denounced the Court, and representatives
in Congress did the same thing. While
perhaps the feelings of the Judges were
hurt and their sensibilities aroused and
touched, the court did not invoke libel
proceedings. Senator Edmunds and Mr..
Choate, now our Minister to England,
who appeared in the income tax cases.
and other celebrated counsel in the case
did not throw up their hands in holy
horror and feel that the honor and the
virtue of the court or their own honor.
was at stake because the press denounc-
ed the decision as political 1t is almost
impossible to take up any great daily pa
per without seeing some criticism on the
courts. Every one in public position
must expect criticism. The man who es-
capes it is an angel on earth and only
needs the fiat of God to make him al
!. angel in Heaven. This jury, 1 dare say
4 will be criticised for rendering this re-
port. If you had not rendered such re-
u port you would also have been criticised
One element says you will be damned il
Il you do; another element says you will be
damned if you don't. You cannot escape
criticism. The man who attempts to gel
:, into the current of public favor sooner
: or later will be engulfed because public
!. sentiment is fickle-nothng is more so
- One day it places a man on the highes
= pinnacle of popular favor; the next da,
= it lays him in the gutter of contempt
: There is only one thing to do and that i:
Z Duty.
u Your report, on the whole is a most ad
. mirable one. For your untiring labors
- for the dignity with which you have de
: meaned yourselves while in this court
e room and its annex, and for the servic
Z lyou have rendered to this community, tn
c Court desires to tender you it's heartfelt
- thanks. You are now discharged, gen
tlemen, for the term.