Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-01-29
METHODS OF CHIEF JUSTICE.

The Chief Justice has apparently die.
tated further excuse for the very
peculiar methods followed by he SUI
preme Court in awarding contracts.
Again is 1t apparent that there is a
marked effort to oyade the fact that
work on the contract had already beei
performed before tenders we're called
for. The people would really be pleas
ed to read a statement from the CHIEF
Justice giving his honest opinion Of
this manner of conducting public bust
ness: whether II such an incident
should occur in any other departments
than his own. or say in some depart
ment of an American municipality, he
would consider such methods as en-
employing or conducive to good gov
eminent
But to analyze the apparent statement
of the Chief Justice made by proxy:
THE quality of the paper submitted
with the Bulletin tender was inferior 10
that of the Gazette Company.
Was there anything in the call FOR
tenders stating the quality of paper
that must he offered? Did not the Bull
letln offer to furnish any weight OF
kind of paper the Chief Justice desired?
Again: Portions of its 1.-THE Bulle-
TIM type were not desirable.
Was there anything in the call Tor
tenders specifying the character OF
type? Is 1t not true that the Chief JUS
tice would accept no bid that did nor
offer as sample type mo. Small pea
to be found first in the Merganthaler
Linotype Company's book of samples
and obtained only by purchase from the
Mergenthaler Linotype Company, ana
capable Of being set only on Mergen-
thaler Linotype machine? Was there
ANYTHING in the specifications when
would give any knowledge of what the
Supreme Court desired? Is 1t not true
that the Chief Justice OF the supreme
Court was morally certain OF the char'
acter of type that would be offered bS
the Hawaiian Gazette Company? was
he not prepared to reject any bid on
this single point of type, although the
call for tenders contained nothing 10
guide those making tenders?
There is only one way for the Chiei
Justice to answer these questions and
for that reason he will display the bet
ter part of valor and keep quiet.
Judging from the methods Ioliowei
in awarding this contract, the CHE
Justice II he were an architect woult
write out his tenders In some sucf
manner as this: want house built
II Is to be of wood; one man has al
ready performed part Of the contract
send in your bids The Bulletin car
well believe that the Chief Justice was
not Influenced by the experience Of
Tax Assessor Shaw. When Mr.. Shaw
called for tenders he gave speciiica'
lions. That an error was made by the
Bulletin was due to an oversight, FOL
which proper return was made In MS
counts.
As to those blanks to which the
Chief Justice, by proxy, refers. There
were three or four blanks reprinted on
account OF slight typographical errors
The proofs had been 20. Ked' by the
proper court official And as furthe'
PROOF that the iauit Wae NV WIZ '
Bulletin, the Supreme Court allowed
payment for reprinted blanks.
The Chief Justice will have to get III
some better excuses than he has thu
far offered before the people will be
lieve that the award of the contrac
for printing the Supreme Court repor
POSSESSED the element of straightfor
ward and business like dealings whicl
should guide every department, NOR
especially the highest court in the Ter
ritory.