The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-11-06

pcnses Of the Territory Of Hawaii. In
the absence ~ such n provision there
can be no legal objection TO the APP
polntment OF the Secretary of the Ter
rltory or some other suitable person as
a special disbursing agent 60 disburse
said appropriation. he giving the re-
quired bond.
The enclosures are returned herewith.
Respectfully.
r. J. TRACEwEIlI.,
Comptroller.
Mr.. clifford Pinchot, whom the Presi-
dent asked several months ago to make
personal inquiry into the land laws
OF Hawaii stated today that he had
not completed the report which he will
hand to the President. He thought.
however, that 1t would be completed
at an early day.
THE PRESIDENT AND TAFT.
The selection Of an associate justice
for the Supreme Court of the United
States has figured somewhat In the
Washington doings of the past week.
II has finally come to light that Sec
rotary Taft has declined the Presi-
dents offer. made last spring. to nomi-
nate him to the vacancy caused by the
retirement of Justice Brown. The in
teresting thing about 1t is that the
Secretary declined the office not re.
Gently but some five months ago and
about the time that the President
made 1t.
Both the President and Secretary
Taft have been very secretive about
the matter and for obvious reasons. As
soon as 1t became known that the offer
had been made the Secretary. the view
was heralded over the country that II
meant Secretary Taft must decide
forthwith whether he would become a
candidate for the Presidency There
was substance in that view for the Re-
publican party will not likely 60 to the
Supreme Court for a candidate. Should
it nominate Justice for President, he
would have to resign and life posi-
ton worth $12500 year is not to be
lightly discarded. Then there is an
aversion to involving the Supreme
Court even indirectly in politics.
Soon after the Secretary went over
to New York to consult with his BROTH
ers on the matter, he made his reply to
that the Secretary's brothers want him
to enter the presidential running and
that the family Is willing to stand
some of the expense, the Secretary
having saved but little from his Off
cial salary. He is now undoubtedly
keeping lightning rod up. but during
the next two years the political devel-
will indicate better what his
are. President Roosevelt
will have the nomination of more Su-
preme Court Justices. before March 4,
1909. 1t can not be doubted that he
will give Secretary Taft one of those
should the Secretary
want it. When the latter left the cir
cult bench during McKinleys admin
1t was with an understanding
that he should be appointed to the SUI
preme Bench. after he had served as
governor general of the Philippines. 1t
is worth while noticing that the talk
about nominating Secretary Taft for
Chief Justice has ceased. 1t never had
any warrant, except the desires of the
to get Chief Justice Full
Ter. Il Democrat. appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland in 1883. out and one OF
their own men in. The Chief Justice.
eligible for retirement, has
never had any intention of retiring. He
expects to live up to the traditions of
his predecessors, that a Chief Justice
dies in active service. 1t now appears
that Attorney General Moody Is to be
appointed to the vacancy, which was
offered to Mr.. Taft.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
There is a vast deal of pen scratch J
ing and clatter of typewriters in the
nine departments of the government
and the bureaus thereof just now. This
is the annual report period. Clerks, .
bureau chiefs, and even heads of de-
oartments are wrestling with the sim ,
plified spelling. for the manuscript
must conform to executive orders as
% three hundred selected words, and
he printing office, where the manu-
script is put into type. is very careful
hat all it's product be up-to-date. =,
Tons upon tons of white paper are
Used in these annual reports. 1t re-
Iuires an enormous amount of work to
write them. With the exception of re-
ports for few independent bureaus.
hese reports go to the respective cabi.
net officers and, after being printed.
Ire abstracted for insertion in the de-
report, which In turn is ex-
oected to reach Congress by the be-
ginning of the session. The Secretary
If State is the only cabinet officer who
Ices not report to Congress and thus
he escapes an exacting stent. A de-
oartmental report is two or three