The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-28
coRNERED AT LAST.

The efforts of the anti-Dole faction
to find something the matter with the
schools, the jail, the insane asylum, the
boards of public works and health, the
police department and with the Gov
ernor himself have been coincident with
the appearance of every Territorial
grand jury. Political judges, hungry
for spoils and not disdaining to do
small politics en- the bench, have di-
rectGd each Jury to every poln: where.
in their opinion, a plea against the Re
publican Territorial administration
could be lodged. Most of these efforts
came speedily to grief. Two or perhaps
three grand juries Investigated the pub
lie departments and found them in
good condition; yet the political judges
kept IN and have at last scored a point
and succeeded in showing that the asy-
ium for the insane is in poor repair.
that some of the patients are not fed
at grill and that others t-.Iig accus-
toned to bite glassware are made to
drink out of tin cans.
Assuradly these are terrible things
and the responsibility upon Mr.. Dole is
final. That buildings, constructed some
decades ago, should grow old, is a de-
feet which ought to have been remedied
by an executive order, stopping the
march of time. Having become old
while the Governor sat by and looked
on, it was his clear duty, at any rate,
to keep them in repair. True, the ma
tive Legislature refused to provide the
funds, but what of that? Was it not
the absolute moral duty of the Gov
ernor to raise the money himself? If
he had been American would he not
have gone to the Treasurer with
stern face and, wrapping himself in the
flag, demanded his money or his life?
1t Is painful and disheartening to have
a Governor who waits supinely on legal
and constitutional processes, refusing
to transcend the vulgar limits of his
powers
Nor is this all! The regimen of the
asylum, as we learn from a Judicial or
gan, exposes the Governor to the most
scathing criticism. Here are poor, mad
people who, after a hearty breakfast
and noontide dinner are given an even
ing meal of hash, bread and bananas.
The Governor cannot shirk responsible
ity for this immoral menu. He knows
we'll enough that there are porterhouse
steaks and refrigerated spring ducks in
the market. He is aware that coast
pears and celery are sold at the stands
and terrapin and marrons glace at the
grocery stores. And yet his callous adj
ministration, penniless though it is, de-
clines to buy such things and compels
the wards of the Territory to eat as
poor meals as those which the Fed
eral government gives to its soldiers
and sailors. What a black and damn
ing record.
The tin drinking can is the browning
infamy Why should not lunatic who
wants to chew glass be given the ma
terial? He might, if let alone, become
professional glass-eater and a credit
to the Territory. But out steps this
misguided Governor in the persons of
the Board of Health, and gives the poor,
friendless fellow an UNBEATABLE tin can
instead. Does not an act like this jar
to its foundations the American con-
science. Look at it in the face. The
mailman asks for thin tumbler and
gets a tomato can that would repel a
goat. what must Washington think of
this? Will not Attorney General Knox
pronounce it an ample and stern cor
roboration of all that he has heard
against the local authorities?
We confess 1.-THE political judges
have won at last. They have got the
Territorial administration by the throat
and will, no doubt, do their worst.