The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-02-05
JUDGE HUMPHREYS. CHARGE.

grand jury yesterday was q remark
able statement. Remarkable in that ..
was brave, sincere and eloquent. 1t
was a revelation 10 most people. even
thos" who are constantly shouting
what is Humphreys going TO do next.
There is none of the time server about
Judge Humphreys. He does not weigh
every act or word he utters upon the
scales Of public opinion TO see how the
best people" viii receive it. He
marks out course that he believes
right and follows It regardless of y h.
MAY be benefited On the ben~n. as
in private life. Judge Humphreys is a
man who has the courage of his con
victiOns. Friends and foes alike have
long since learned this though some
people see INTO think because he now
occupie5.a judicial position that he
should set aside his honest convic-
lions, and, as so many men in office
have done. CROOK the pregnant hinges
of the knee that thrift may follow
fawning."
We 40 not believe that Judge Hum
phreys most intimate friends expect
ed he would maze so severe an ar
raignment of the condition OF affairs
as he did and Yet all must admit that
every word uttered in regard to the
evils of centralized government and Of
the maladministration of public inst1-
tutions in Hawaii is true AMI more
than true. In fact his charge is fairly
brutal in its fearful truthfulness. Tor
no one can offer any defense in behalf
of the existing conditions he COZ
dennis.
The centralized government SO long
maintained in these Islands has dulled
the senses of the people until the pub
lie officials, who are the servants Of
the people, have learned to look ppOn
themselves as the masters. This is
shown almost every day in .applica-
tions at public offices for information
which belongs TO all the p.ople but
which is denied by officials upon some
pretext or another. In certain cases
men have been told directly that chey
could not have information asked for.
because the officials did not propose to
give it, Such a condition of affairs
would never have been tolerated in
any other Anglo-Saxon community and
certainly will not long be tolerated
here. Naturally enough these men op-
pose the creating of municipal govern
ments because they see in the esta5-
lishment of municipal or local govern
ments the very citadel of the peo-
pies power) a wrecking OF what they
have grown to look upon as their God
given prerogatives.
How public institutions have been
conducted is shown by the Reform
School. which contains about thirty
boys, of whom the superintendent
says none should be there. What a
commentary on what some residents
of Hawaii have pleased to term the
best government on earth" In four
teen years experience as Superintend-
ent, the head of the Reform School
has only been able to secure one pal
try appropriation of $500 to utilize %
ward establishing workshops for the
inmates. and yet In all these years
the people have paid in the neighbor-
hood OF SIC per capita per snnum lo
support an extravagant ana wastefg!
oligarchical government, which in ITS
bounty for the monied interests mas
helped the large plantations 10 bring
in Coolie labeyers, but could not find
money at its disposal 10 build work
shop for the inmates of the Reform
School.
The care Of the insane has been
as negligent. A physician
with one of the largest practices in
the city is employed as Superinten-
dent, who. in the very nature of things
can not give that care TO those suffer
ing from a mind diseased" that such
unfortunates should have But more
than this when the August grand jury
called attention 10 the fact that Ward
No. was in Ne last stages of decay.
and that an appropriation for new
building had been made by the last
legislature. no attention was paid to
it and nothing has ever been done by
the centralized and oligarchical gov
eminent to remedy existing conditions
or better the lot Of the Territory's IN,
fortunate insane.
The spy system in vogue under the
State constabuiary of Hawaii tanothe:
evidence OF centralized government,
has long been a stencil in the nostrils
OF decent people. During the trying
days of 1895 this infamous system vas
carried TO the extreme ana men only
dared express their honest convictions
under the bed clothes, II is well known
To every man familiar with police prac-
tees in these Islands that vermin OF
this class. as Judge humphreys well
calls them. have perjured themselves