Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-04-23
PROVE THE CHARGE.


a price.
To anyone acquainted with this coun-
try and knowing how frequently this
charge has been made by some person
against Legislators in these islands.
even the Legislatures Of the Republic,
the best government on earth" it Is
rather surprising that this cry has not
been raised before. 1t seems to be i'm
born in the civic character of these
Islands for persons who disapproye OF
Jaws passed or approve Of acts that fail
10 pass, to voice their dIsapproval OF
"all as Is" with a statement that money
was used somewhere. that there was
something in il" for the men advanc-
ing or retarding legislation. The
broadCst statements rejecting on legis.
lators as whole are made with IN!
most remarkable freedom aud conf
dence But when 1t comes to pinninG
men down to actual, reasonable proof,
as often have they failed to substan-
tiate their statements. If there is u
place on Gods footstool where more
irresponsible street corner gossip is
taken up, added to. frescoed and finally
repeated as fact than in Hawaii that
community has yet to be announced.
The intimation of crooked dealings
first saw the light of publicity during
this session when the Pauoa water
purchase was before the House Of Rep
Tesentatives. All sorts of promises
have been credited to Mr.. Booth and
his associates to secure votes for the
bill. The morning press, while not d.
rectly charging corruption, went rs
close to the mark as 1t dared. But the
Pauoa water bill went to the Senate,
was investigated thoroughly by well
known business men and the bill
passed. The intimaion Of corruption
suddenly ceased. The graft" cry fell
to the ground and was thereby shown
TO be merely the silly weapon of dis
gruntled individuals who, failing in
competent arguments TO defeat the bill.
fell back on the hackneyed imputatiop
Of corruption.
The story of the man who was to pay
5000 for having the saloon limits
fixed" has been kicking around the
streets for several weeks 1t has not
been accompanied by statements of rea-
sonable proof
when the fight over Hawaiian Elec'
trio franchise was on the rumorolOgists
had 1t that the Electric Company had
spent $4,000 in the Legislature. 1t
might as well have been placed at 5000
billion for all the apparent truth there
was in II.
The failure of the Standard Tele-
phone company's franchise has been
laid to delinquency of its promoters in
putting up" And so forth almost
without limit. There are mighty few
details of legislative business that have
not been banded about by some indiy-
idual or aggregation OF individuals rs
bearing earmarks of crooked DEALING.
The Printing Committee graft has al
ways been a favorite topic OF trans
lators. copyists and printing houses
convinced that they have a grievance.
And yet In not a single instance have
the charges against Booth, Hawaiian
Electric Company, Standard Telephone,
Printing Committee, hackmen's bill
advocates or any other measure or leg
islatiye officers been accompanied BY n
single conArmatory fact which should
Justify decent hopest-minded citizens
In placing any degree Of credence In ths
yarns, As often occurs among Il class
OF people who enjoy the mounting Of
scandal, II Is one thing to make a
statement and quite another TO back II
up with reasonable confirmation that
would appeal TO honest men whose
minds are free from vicious malice,
But the open charge has been made,
The graft" cry has gained the dignity
~ newspaper publicity There Ii but
one thing 20 DO,
Investigated investigated lnyes'
tlgatelll