The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-06-12


ed in a way which inspires anyone with
confidence in their promises, and their
methods of work during this special
session have not been such as would
make anyone argue that they would
devote themselves to any valuable le-
gislation for the benefit of the Terri
tory. sAAAE
The advice which Mckinley gave TO
Beclley, and which the latter impaired
to the House, has fallen from the Home
Rulers like water off ducks back, or
has melted like snow off dyke TO
use a homelike northern expression
which every canny Scot and Draw
north Cumbran viii wei under
stand. OF course the Home Rulers are
rather down on the President. He re-
ceived Representative Beckley affably,
very affably. but that is one of his most
charming attributes. He receives all
who call upon him feably. But he did
not do what the Tome Rulers expected
he would do. RE did not at once dis
miss Governor Dole. 1t is an absolute
f. q chat there were Home Rulers who
expected that Representative Beckley
would return with the Governors dis
missal in his pocket and a blank nom
ination for Governor to be filled up as
the Home Rulers might agree.
But the President did neither of these
things. He advised instead. One of his
pieces of advice was that the party
should bury the Ratchet between itself
and the executive, and should strive to
work in harmony with it. AS was
pointed out in these columns when Mr..
Beckley's message was delivered in the
House, the lack of harmony between
the Home Rulers and the Executive
rested entirely upon the Home Rulers.
These gentlemen not only wanted to
run the Legislative branch of the gov
eminent, which was their perrogatve
and no one wanted to interfere with,
but they wanted to run the Executive
branch as well, which is not their pre-
negative, and moreover they gratui-
tousy went out of their way to insult
the Executive upon every opportunity
that presented itself, and farther op-
jected to the executive using preroga-
tives which were his by law.
BY way of following the Presidents
advice, the Home Rulers are continu-
ing their attacks upon the executive
They suddenly developed a doubt as
to the legal status of Acting Governor
Cooper, the Governor being incapa-
citated from work at present. They
did not develop this doubt when, as
Acting Governor, Mr.. Cooper signed the
worthy Legislators. 1t has only de-
veloped lately as a means of furnishing
windy debate, a method of worrying
and nagging the sick Governor, a most
noble and worthy political move, and,
incidentally, an opportunity of sh )wirg
how carefully they consider the advice
given by President Mckinley.
This extreme tenderness as to the
status of the acting governor, lest when
the Legislature passes the appropria-
ton bill his signature may not be legal,
comes with special irony from a body
whose every act whether signed by the
Governor or the acting Governor is
liable to challenge. 1t is quite possible
that not an act which the Legislature
The members of the Home Rule party !
depend upon the Opinions of their /
paid attorneys, and think that the case
is there settled. Since the majority of
that party are now full fledged lawyers, /
it is satisfactory to learn what a value /
they put upon opinions" If attorneys |
opinions might settle cases there might /
be reason to put this high value upon
these, but they do not, the courts do. /
When the Legislature is over we begin
TO find out through the courts what
laws will hold water and what will not.
The contention against the power and
legal standing of the Acting Governor
is not based upon honest grounds. 1t is
simply used as a method of batting the
executive, and of wasting time.
With such tactics being displayed
from day to day, with the utter ignor-
ance shown by many members of both
House and Senate of the value and
bearing of grave questions set before
them, with the hippancy with which
weighty matters are treated, can there
be any hope that extending the session
another thirty days will be productive
of any good to the Territory? From
what we now know the Legislature
might sit from now till the next cleo
ton and would accomplish no more
than it has now done and that is-noth-
ing. 1t is better for US to bear the ills
we have than to fly to others that We
know not Of" What folly an extra
session would develop no one can guess.
We had better cut off where we are
and submit to a years stagnation. 1t
will be far more profitable to the Ter
ritory than years retrogression. And
to this pass has the Home Rule party
brought us.