The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-21
TREASURER WRIGHT IS RIGHT.

TREASURER WRIGHT rs RIGHT.
". H. Wright. Treasurer Of the Ter
ritoTy. has taken the stand that every
head OF a department ought 20 take
and has refused to submit to any In
reference BY the so-calIed Executive
CouncI~ with the administration OF
the Treasurer's Office. For having tax
an this stand Treasurer Wright de
serves the support and commentator
- every citizen. The Executive Coun-
ell" has no standing in law. and its
acts. II Il acts as a body. and il has
80 acted. are Illegal and void Mr.
Wright. as Treasurer. has certain
duties deyoIving upon him, and II is
no more the business OF the Secretary
81 the Territory. the Attorney General.
Or any Of the other appointees OF the
Governor as 10 how the Treasurer
shall perform these duties than Il is
the business OF any other citizen. The
Treasurer Is not answerable TO these
appointees but to the Governor and TO
the people at large In fact after his
confirmation By the Senate he is an
swerable solely TO the people excepting
Ia few instances where the law re-
quires the sanction OF the Governor
10 be secured before his actions are
legal.
The Executive Council" as it ex.
lists IN Hawaii is un-American and has
no precedent in all the century and
more Of American Territorial Govern
ment The whole subject was thresh-
ed over by the Hawaiian Commission
which WAS appointed 20 draft an Or.
ganic Act for Hawaii Governor Dole.
who was a member OF that Commits
sion. was a strong advocate of an E1-
ecutiye Council as a boarl of ADVISERS
for the Governor. He wanted cab
met around him after the manner Of
the ruler OF a great and sovereign
nation. The Commission in its report
signed by Senator Shelby NJ. Cuilom
said OF Dole's pet measure:
The majority OF the commission
have not been able TO agree with the
suggestions OF those who favor the
council 10 aid the Territorial Cover
nor in his administration OF the
Affairs OF the Territory of Hawaii
The commission hold. however proper
and convenient il might be 10 provide
such an auxiliary as a cabinet for the
Governor OF a State, or for the chief
executive Of a country. that il is UNI
necessary In Territorial Government.
which is itself merely a subordinate
and limited authority. under the close
supervision OF the President of the
United States. The history OF the ter
ritories OF the United States. covering
many years of experience. has not.
In the opinion OF the commission.
shown a necessity for the creation OF
any number OF advisers. The powers
OF a Territorial Governor are likely 70
be so clearly defined by the Legislation
OF Congress and the laws OF the Ter
ritory that there viii hardly be ueed
FOR such an establishment as an "ex.
ecutive" or advisory council
Governor Dole. then President Dole.
vas the only member OF the commits
sion Of Eve who favored an executive
or advisory" council and so insistent
was he that his views be adopted that
he submitted minority report in
which he urged that the Treasurer.
Attorney General Superintendent OF
Public Instruction. Commissioner OF
Public Lands. Commissioners OF Agri-
culture and Forestry and the Super
inteRdeut OF Public Works should be
special eounselors OF the Governor. or.
in other words. his executive council.
But his recommendation was turned
down by the Commission and by Con-
gresS
Notwithstanding that neither the
Commission nor Congress recognized
his recommendations for an executive
council. no sooner did Governor Dole
receive his commission and make his
appointments to these respective on
oes than ne called all bis appolntees
toSesher as an executive council and
thar body proceeded 70 assume lsgis-
lative ana judicial functions. Regular
meetings Of the council" were held
and the council decided whether or
not any member Of the administration
should carry oat the Law or set the
law aside Many illegal acts we're
performed BY this council that any
taxpayer. had Ne cared 10 50 into the
courts, could have enioined. The EEK
ecutive council as = body usarped the
rights q the individual members 81
the Governors Official family and in
many distances attempted 10 usarp he