The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-26
THE RESPONSIBILITY FIXED.

ly. and from the bench announced az
the organ of mis- court-in favor OF
Treasurer Wright's contention that he
was not amenable to the orders or ad
vice of the Territorial government
| Yesterday, this paper republished the
wright is Right leader of the Repub
lican. published in June, 1901-not 1902
as the types mistook it. Herewith We
give an extract from the Bulletin IN
der date of June q, 1901, referring t.
Wright's verbal declaration of indie,
pendence."
Treasurer w. H. Wright is demon
stratlng that he possesses the fearless
independent common sense that gives
a popular confidence in his adminlstra-
ton He has punctured the nonsense
cal bubble that department officers are
bound by the action of the Executive
Council and he has made firm stano
to maintain the financial integrity OF
the Territory that is endorsed by the
| leading business men in the city. AS
the Acting Governor Of the Territory
/ Hawaii furnishes the blockade to THIS
/ important phase of Territorial prog
7 ress there will be no difficulty in plac-
/ ing the responsibility when the revenue
! gives out and public works are at a
standstill throughout the Territory.
| At the time the Home Rulers (then
called Independents by the Humphreys
organs) combined with the Humphreys
men in the Republican Territorial Com
mittee to force Wright and two others
upon the Governor, the Bulletin said:
One of the Independent leaders, when
seen today about the appointments
said that, in case there was no DISPOSE
ton on the part of the Governor to
heed the suggestions made for filling
the vacant offices, THERE WOULD
BE SOME SURPRISING RESULTS
IN THE APPROPRIATION BILL.
From the beginning the Advertiser
urged Governor Dole not to yield to
Home Rule threats but to stand by the
incumbents whom the Home Rulers
and their Republican allies wanted
thrust out of their way. Here is an
extract from our first leader on the
subject, published May 1, 1901:
So far as the appointments are con-
cerned, if the Governor does not again
name the men whom the Senate has
rejected from the worst of motives;
confessedly rejected so that it might
demand the vacancies for politicians
who hate Americans, Republicans and
white men and who would ruin terri
torial credit if they could; if, we say,
the Governor does not reappoint these
men he will do his cause an injury and
his friends a mischief. He cannot af-
ford to let the Home Rulers dictate to
him; he can afford still less, to
accept and even tacitly indorse the i'm
putations which, if the rejected officials
are now abandoned, will hereafter be
cast upon them. They were rejected
for no good cause; let the Governor
show, by reappointing them, that his
confidence in them, like that of the
public is undiminished. If they choose
to resign afterwards, well and good;
that is their privilege. But they deserve
an executive vote of confidence now.
1t was the Governors view, however,
that the wishes of the Senate should
be respected and the ambitions of Ha-
waiians to hold Office, gratified-hence
W. H Wright for Treasurer and B. H.
Wright for chief clerk under the new
head of the Public Works Department,
and loss of public funds which may
I1yos
told by high public official yesterday
that the combined loss may reach $780,
600.
The Governors position was most I'M
pleasant for him. Though believing
that he should have refused to let out
any good man to make room for one
chosen by his enemies and the enemies
of the public veal, the Advertiser rec
ognizes, in full, the perplexities he had
to confront. Had he refused to nomi-
nate Wright for Treasurer, three things
would have happened
1.-The Home Rule Legislature would
have refused to appropriate funds for
paying the expenses of the Treasury
Department.
"A race issue would have been
made, Wright, though white of skin
being a part Hawaiian and one of the
native leaders
3-Memorials, doubtless prepared by
Humphreys, would have gone to Wash
ington declaring that the Governor was
ignoring coordinate branch Of the
government and posing as an autocrat
Well, to make long story short, the
Governor nominated Wright who at
once refused to be guided by his adj
vice or subjected to his oversight. What
then? The Governor could not remove
him without the consent of the Senate
and that body was full of his pals Nor
could the Governor permanently re-
move him today, after his shortage has
become known. owing to the inhibittons
of the Organic Act.
Is it not time to have the basic law
of this Territory amended? We put
the question to the visiting Senators.