The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-05-15
PRESS ON
+. GAMBLING
EXPOSE
What Local Press
Thinks About
It.

The attitude Of the local papers on
the gambling expose is interesting as
showing their points Of view. The Star
accepts the revelations at face value
and makes appropriate comment. The
Independent which, next to the Star,
is the most intelligent evening paper
in the city, adds details to those pub
lished in the Advertiser but apparently
hopes to uncover some rottenness IN
previous law administration. The Bull
letin, with an instinct worthy Of Sue
cess to Crime Judge, tries to patch up
a technical defence for the accused
men. Its latest discovery Is that II
there is only a million dollars In cir
culation here the Chinese would not
be likely to have $4,000 of 1t in a year
to spend for protection, apparently
overlooking the fact that of the $4,000
Chinese in Honolulu at least 10000 are
gamblers who have an average in
come Of IS per week or 100000 per
month.
THE STARS VIEWS.
The Star says:
The Chinese gambler is up against
it. There will be a neat little flutter
among the owners Of the various nefa-
rious outfits. The Attorney Generals
department will now have an ample OPP
portunity for investigating some of the
underground ramifications of the gam
bling fraternity. Once this class Of
persons is started on the run, there are
bound to be interesting developments.
THE INDEPENDENTS OPINION.
The Independent says:
The community is hungry FOR a
most complete investigation of the
gambling scandal-if such it is-appar-
emily unearthed in the office of the
Attorney-Gen last Sunday, and for
complete exposure and the punish
ment of every guilty man, should it be
developed that officials have in the past
accepted brides for countenancing or
protecting gambling institutions. AT
present the matter is in it's infancy, so
to speak. The statements alleged to
have been made by Tong Kai, through
interpreter John T. Baker, whether so
intended or not, left the inference
wholly reasonable that bribery in the
past had been freely practiced and that
the gamblers had been protected by an
official or officials of this government.
So widespread and positive is the
assertion that gambling (Which, in al
most every form, has been carried on
in nearly every quarter of the city for
two years. was being officially pro-
tected that no one, outside of the
ring" could feel safe in denying it.
The very fact of the existence of lot
teries at the corner of River and Kukui
streets, in a stable on Vineyard street,
in two buildings on Hotel street be-
tween River and Maunakea streets-all
run openly for all the months of last
year and for two months of this year
must cause one to feel that there was
official protection somewhere. These
places were only a few of many. 10
have seen them in full blast daily. I'M
der the eye of the Government one
must have been a blockhead not to
have deciphered corruption. bribery and
protection out of it. The case was too
plain.
Where the blame lies we are not in
position to say, and have no desire
to say anyhow. The Cinnamon may
gamble their lives out for all We care.
and we don't care, in the abstract.
how much money officials may have
reapt out of this reign of paka pho and
open house gambling of almost every
sort. What we do want is to have the
atmosphere in regard to this matter
cleared up. Will the Attorney-General
be equal to the task?-or will he go so
far and then surrender when called
down by high influences up to which
his Investigations may have led? We
prefer, for the present, at least, to-
think the former.
There is something fishy about the
interviews of Mr.. Peters with Tong
Kai, however. Nor with the interviews
themselves, either. but with the way
,they came about; and ground seems to
be left for the suspicion that third
parties are interested actively In this
affair. and that they are desperately
sacrificing one chance to save their
bacon at another. 1t is not assumed
for a moment that the Attorney-Gen-
erals department suspects such
thing, but the Escape goat" proposition
is still held by some,
THE BULLETINS REMARKS.
The Bulletin has the following:
Despite the public's reluctance to be-
gin thus early the campaign for coun-
ty politics, the press agents of the At
torney Generals department persist in
taking the cabinet-trick bribery scheme
seriously. Press agents wish 1t dis
tinctly understood that the COMPETE
ton the Attorney Generals department
has entered into with it's subordin-
ate police department is the most
wonderful happening since John ID.
Rockefeller formed the oil trust Gam
blers, II is claimed, have sought
headquarters for protection. refusing
TO deal with understrappers, and Of
fered the munifcent sum of $4,000 a
year.
The splendor which should justly
scintillate from the gloriousness of At
torney General Andrews halo is more