Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-08-08
TEMPEST IN TEAPOT
ST|RS COUNTY DADS
Lively Debate Over
Granting Leaves Of
Absence

The meeting of the Supervisors last
might developed into a tempest In a
teapot. And all over the request oil
The Governor and OF the heads OF the
Territorial militia that those of the
County employees who should be sue
cessful in making the rife team be
given leave of absence without dmi-
mutton Of pay, to go to the National
rife match at Camp Perry, Ohio.
Words, phrases and sentences barbed
with sarcasm, innuendo and common,
everyday ugliness flew back and fortL
between the two opposing factions.
One Supervisor, Kealoha, was absent,
and the remaining six were equally d.
yided into two factions. Chairman
Justace and Supervisors Archer and
Dwight were In favor of granting the
leave asked for, Hustace and Archer
enthusiastically 50, Dwight rather
passively. Harvey, Fern and Cox were
vigorously opposed to letting the boys
80 and still keeping them on the pay
roll. or sudden the duty of these
County Fathers to the trusting public
planted their feet on the solid rock OF
determination and obstinately refused
to be moved by sentiment, argument
or persuasion. The request OF the
Governor, the pleas of Adjutant Gen
eral Jones and Colonel Sam Johnson
and the arguments of Hustace and
Archer failed to have any effect other
than to make them the more deter
mined to stick to their position. A
dynamite explosion under their feet
wouldn't have moved them from their
position. The spasm of economy that
obey had was almost painful to be-
mold. Harvey even waxed sarcastic
with reference to the value Of the Ma
tional Guard, which he thought no
better than any unorganized body OF
citizens SO far as protecting life and
property was concerned, and by his
sneering remarks brought down upon
his head the wrath of Colonel Sam
Johnson, who basted him to a dark.
rich brown therefor.
Fern was inclined to be ugly and do
nounced the attempt to let the County
employees go as breach OF faith to-
ward the public who had elected the
to superintend the expen-
diture of the public funds. II was nor
so much what he said as the way ne
said 1t that indicated that his stand
was taken rather in opposition to Hus-
lace than because of any genuine
gpasm of virtue or economy.
Archer sided vigorously with the
National Guardsmen, returning again
and again to the attack even when It.
was apparent that his chances of sue
cess were about as good as those OF a
remaining intact in a eli
mate that Is commonly reputed to be
warmer than that OF
s1onolulu. He warned the Board that
an exhibition of petty meanness such
as three of them contemplated might
be punished by the United States Gov
some time when the aid OF
that Government might be needed. He
said that the time might come some
day when this Territory would need
men who could shoot, and professed
his own willingness to shoulder ID
musket and do what he could for his
when occasion should require
Harvey sneeringly remarked that he
lidn't think the National Guard OF
Hawaii would be any great shakes
when 1t came to shooting. He thought
IN equal body of unframed citizens
who had not spent their time on the
Iarget range would be able to do as
good service as the militia.
Before the meeting adjourneds Colo
iel Sam Johnson, speaking, he said,
lot as Road Supervisor but as an off
,er of the National Guard. rebuked
Harvey severely for his taunt, calling
lttention to the efficiency OF the regi-
nent and to the quickness with whicn
Is members responded when the
rQuble at Lahaina broke out. At that
line, he said, every man was on hand
nd ready for service within an hour
# the time the call for them was
nade,-a record which he did not
hink could be equaled by any other
National Guard body in the country.
Harvey half retracted what he had
aid stating that ha did not uaan II |