Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-05-26
GRAND JURY AND LEGlSLA-
TURE.

The final report OF the Grand Jury
is interesting. Taken in connection
with comparatively recent newspaper
statements II is a valuable addition TO
the literature OF the Territory. Though
voicing a sentiment approaching a
whining complaint against the presid-
ing judge for not allowing a larger
membership the report is short and to
the point.
The most interesting feature of the
report Is It's notable lack of attention
to the Legislature and the natural in
ference to be drawn from II that the
Legislature has been free from above
ground or underground incidents
which would warrant investigation by
this recognized inquisatorial body with
the right and whose duty it is to search
for wrongs that indicate corruption.
The report is not silent ON this point.
II distinctly states that nothing has
been called before the grand jurors
which justified going beyond the usual
routine OF usual criminal cases origin
ating with police authorities.
This action or lack of action on the
part OF the Grand Jury is particularly
noticeable because of the freedom with
which certain newspapers of the city
have laid against the Legislature i'm
putations approaching direct charge
OF irregular operations bearing gen
eral characteristics of corruption. Fur
thermore this action or lack Of action
is brought more forcibly to public con-
sideration by reason of the Grand
Jury being presided over by citizen
who Is also presiding elder of a section
OF the press that has been liberal in
the quota Of innuendo bestowed upon
the legislative body now in session
The section of the press over which
the foreman of the Grand Jury is pre-
siding elder has emblazoned an infer
snce OF corrupt operations mixed up In
nYing limits 10 one OF the liquor laws
, IL has been somewhat caustlc in it,
reference to an investigation made by
q committee of the House, implying
that the committee was disposed Il
shy from the facts when the scent led
TO indications OF real wrong doing. The
, smircbing OF legislative character has
been little II any less In evidence than
during the session of two years ago
when. even the Governor gave heed 10
wholesale charges that were not proved
and which gave rise to chapter OF
incidents and flood of affidavits that
aNa fAA Mi A. ~ fNsat
but under the searching test of the
Federal Attorney Generals depart
ment made an ignominious exit.
In spite of the innuendo II not spe-
ciflc charge issuing from the mouth
piece Of the affidavit mill we find the
presiding elder of that section OF the
press freely and voluntarily subscrib-
ing his name to a Grand Jury report
which says In effect that no legislative
or official irregularities have been
brought to the attention Of the jury.
hence 1t speedily proceeded to criminal
cases. This means II 1t means any
thing that the section of the press fore.
most in assailing the integrity of leg
islators individually or collectively
was absolutely without convincing
facts to back up its assertions.
This conclusion is the only conclu-
sion that can be reached under the
circumstances since The Grand Jury,
though small, was made up OF admit
tedly honorable men and its presiding
officer being also the presiding elder
OF the section OF the press loudest in
its denunciation OF legislative methods
was In a position to lay facts before
the jury-proyided the section OF the
press over which he is presiding elder
possessed facts which would even JUS
tify an investigation to ferret out in
eliminating evidence.
Thus the report OF the Grand Jury
30 closely associated as its presiding
officer is with the source Of charges OF
irregularity, forces the conclusion
which must now remain conviction
that the charges made were purely in
nusndo. absolutely without foundation,
the product of idle gossip which only
smirches character and tends to des-
troy.a good name.
All the machinery OF government for
running corruption to earth has been
in the hands OF those laying the charge.
The presiding elder reports mo infor-
nation" The conclusion is obvious.