The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-03-23
THE SERVANT NOT THE MASTER.

In his letter 10 the House OF Repre-
sentatives refusing to furnish the IN
formation the House directed him to
furnish. Secretary Cooper overlooked
the very important fact that he is the
servant ana not the master of the
legislature. Section SO Of the Organic
Act in defining the duties of the Sec
Rotary OF the Territory explicitly says:
And Che) shall perform such other
duties as are prescribed in this act
or as may be required Of him by the
legislature Of Hawaii. Not such as
the legislature may request him TO
perform. but such as the legislature
may demand or require nim to per-
form.
In trying 20 get out OF the very I'M
comfortable position in which Cover
nor Dole and Secretary Cooper find
themselves. the Star, which is an or
gan of the Dole administration. its
editor being one of Dole's appointees.
takes the ground that communica-
tons have only been from one branch
of the Legislature and not from the
legislature itself. OF all the sophistry
ever presented to bolster up a weak
cause this is the worst. In presenting
this sort Of argument the Dole sup
porters but show anew their igno-
rance of AL parliamentary proceed
ings. The Republican would like to
ask them who it is propounds ques-
lions to the British ministry. is II
the House OF Commons or both that
House and the House of Lords COM
bined? When Sir Gerald Balfour was
answering questions concerning the
civil list. a.few days ago. was he an
swering questions propounded by o"sh
branches of the legislative part of
the government of Great Britain or
was he answering questions proposed
by the House OF Commons?
When the Senate of the United
States calls upon the President or the
Secretary of State or the Secretary OF
War or any other member of the ex-
ecutive branch of the government 10:
information, which may include rec
eris and papers, does il ask the House
TO unite with il in a Joint resolution
calling for the information desired,
or does the Senate merely adopt the
resolution and send copy or it 10 the
President or TO the head % The de-
partment from which the information
is demanded? Every man who knows
anything of legislative ooiles IN
Great Britain or America KNOWS that
Il Is within the power OF either house
OF the legislative branch of the Gov
eminent to make demands upon the
executive branch of the Government
for information, and. what is more. 10
have such demands complied with.
Only a short time ago the House Of
Representatives at Washington adopt
ed a resolution calling upon the Secrc-
tary Of war for certain information
concerning the American troops in
Cn,na. Did the Senate have anything
10 do with this request of the House,
Assnredly not. because it was not a
matter in which the Senate was in
ferested. being a subject that the
House itself wanted inforpation On.
And what is more the demand of the
House was complied with. About the
same time the Senate passed reso-'
luton calling upon the Secretary of
War for copies of certain records and
papers concerning the war in the
Philippines. Was any Joint or concur
rent resolution necessary 10 obtain
what the Senate wanted. Not at all.
The mere mandate of the Senate upon
the Secretary of War that il wanted
certain information was sufficient ana
the information was furnished to the
Senate.
So il is in all State and Territorial
legislatures. The mere fact that the
Governor and Secretary Of Territory
happen 10 be appointed by the Presi-
dent has no bearing upon their re-
sponsibiiity TO the Legislative branch
OF the Territorial government and
demand OF either house OF the legis-
lature tor records or papers or any
information OF any kind pertaining to
the public welfare is a mandate that
canno; be disobexed. But says some
one il has been discbeyed by Dole
and Cooper, Yes. il has. and the re-
suit will be decapitation Of both
Dole aid Cooper. What Il needed chi
the part OF Dole and Cooper. and Oh
crs who think with them that the leg-
islature Is . body to be desptsed. ls to |
try and learn something OF American |
institutions and American laws before |
going any further in their non.Ameri-
can methods The precipice is not
far ahead and they seem bent on rid |
Ing ever t. For the good OF hon.
est government In the Territory Il is
60 be hoped that they viii ride over Il.