Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-09-16

Following is q verbatim report of
Franklin Austin's speech before the
Murphy Club Saturday evening:
Ladies and gentlemen; am glad
to be with you again after my absence
to the country. ana the late unpleas-
antness in the city. ! have missed two
Saturday nights in the Murphy hail
and II Is time | took my accustomed
place again upon this rustrum.
There are many who doubtless came
here tonight to hear me make a sensa-
tional speech, but they will be disap-
pointed. | am not going to say any
thing nor am ! going TO ask for vim
dication because | have done nothing
to be vindicated for. | propose to
simply say few words, as briefly as
possible, in regard to certain ISLANDERS
which have been published by the
newspapers concerning myself, and de-
fine the position take in the matter.
have been working hard and doing
everything in my power to carry on
successfully this great temperance
work and am in 1t to stay. am not
one to be swayed from a purpose by
breath OF wind or driven from my
duty by whims OF a newspaper. ] will
stand by my guns to the last. In or
der to carry on the work 1t has been
necessary to have money. Money with
which to pay our rent. to furnish our
hall and to employ people to look after
the hall, Money has been placed in
my hands by many different people 10
use in the cause of temperance to the
best of my judgment. This | have
done. Now, no one has a RICH, to de-
mand Of me an accounting of the way
which this money has been spent ex-
cept the people who placed the money
In my hands. ! never lave suggested
that i would make an accounting to
the public. The only accounting | will
ever make, will be to the donors of the
money. When ] make my accounting
| to them they can do with II as they
please. They may give the accounts
to the public II they so desire.
The other day gave the public n
list of the donors, through the papers,
and the amounts subscribed, together
with AZ approximate statement of how
the money had been spent. had al.
ways intended to do this from time ia
time. as the work progressed, and did
SO this time thinking II would allay
any uneasiness that might have been
caused by newspaper reports published
during my absence and was not prepar.
ed for the criticisms and abuse hurled
at me by, what supposed, friendly
press.
A man who has not given cent to
help along this cause has not right
to demand an accounting of me. He
has no more right to ask me for an ac-
counting than he has to break into my
house and demand to know Low
spend my money or what money pay
out for the necessities of ale. When
asked for money to carry on the
work, there were people who came for
ward to give 1t for the cause. They did
not ask me how was going to spend
II, nor have they asked me yet what
have done with ii. They are satisfied
that the money was spent for the pur'
poses for which IL was given.
This, of course, refers to the period
from March 10 to July 20 while th'
work was carried on alone by me, be
fore the association was organized. II
is even doubtful in my mind whether
tle same rule would not also apply
that of responsibility Of an accounting
only to the contributors. When JOE