The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-12-01
THE VOUCHER SCANDALS.

The public was fully prepared for the
findings of the Federal Grand Jury as
1t had a clear. II not a particularized
idea of the practices which obtained
In the lower House OF the Legislature
at its recent sitting. Enough leaked
Housewife some personal exceptions
as unworthy Of public trust and to
urge the inquisition of Territorial
Grand Jury. Nothing could be done,
however. in that punitive direction.
BY some fluke OF fate-if we may call
1t that-the Territorial Grand Juries
were small in size and they absorbed
just enough of the Success to Crime"
citizenship to protect native from in
| dictment for any sort of official mis-
conduct. A supreme confidence in such
luck kept suspected Legislators and
their grated hangers-on supremacy in
| different to public opinion. Like the
unconvicted rogues of the Tweed fell
| lowship they turned from the gravest
charges with an impudent leer, saying
What are you going to do about it?'
The answer came from an unexpect-
ed source. When the Advertiser pub
lished the Federal law bearing on the
destruction of public documents, the
United States District Attorney In
formed it that the paper was on the
right track; that he had looked up
the code and believed that the Fed
eral jury could take cognizance of at
least the missing vouchers. Judge
Estee said practically the same thing.
AS soon as the Federal jury conven-
ed, therefore, thorough investigation
was made. Some of the vouchers were
indeed missing; but those which were
found revealed a state of things 50 eX-
traordinary as to at once put the eff
cheney and integrity of the Territorial
Grand Jury system to the test. The
powers of the Federal Grand Jury were
chiefly those of exposure; it remained |
to see what future Territorial Grand |
Jury would do with the men and acts |
exposed.
1t is intended for the best of reasons |
to pass the Parker Wilcox Mossman
Grand Jury by and take the vouchers |
and the untouched before jury to be
called in January. From now on some
of the most secret and persistent wire I
pulling ever seen in Hawaii will be
done. Tremendous pressure will be
used to get Jury in which doubtful
citizens will hold the balance of power.
All the resources of men who feel that
their personal liberty may depend on
it will be exhausted in the effort to
persuade the Jury Commissioners to
draw from a panel dictated by them
selves. The situation is grave indeed
for the honest administration of justice
in this Territory and we cannot under
rate the responsibility which the Com
missioners will assume. Their man
hood will be tested by the issue. 1t
will be for them to say whether the
panel shall be made up of the most !
reputable, intelligent and impartial
taxpayers representing all three polit
ical parties or of the common run of
sympathizers with and promoters of
iniquity in public and private life. If
the former, the accused men will geo
exact justice; if the latter, they may
we'll take courage and prepare for raids
to come.
In the meantime we adjure the citi-
zens of Oahu-particularly those whose
money went into the pockets, as the
Federal Grand Jury believes, of one of
the most predatory of legislatures-to
keep their eyes as wide open as we of
the Advertiser shall keep ours. There
is going to be nothing lost for want
of full publicity in this phase of the
long and arduous, but so far success
full fight for good government.