The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-02
SOME OF MR.. TAFT's
CIVIC CONVICTIONS

| Editor Advertiser: 1t viii not b
deemed inopportune TO refer at thi
time to certain views held by Nj
Taft, who so many will be Thankful
TO see the successor in the presidential
office OF the great man who IS nov
| so bravely, vigorously and wisely fill
ing that position-a position made IL
lustrious By the men holding it, from
the days of Washington to the presen
| time.
In -Four Aspects of Civic Duty Mr.
Taft writes as follows anent certain
matters. OF "Parlor Socialists h,
says; Il think this class is. for tbs
time. on the increase. but / am glaC
TO believe that among educated mer
the class is only that of faddists.
, The spectacle OF men who enjoy al
/ the Injuries of life, with trained ser
wants and costly establishments, de-
claiming against the social order and
the injustice done to the poor and suf-
fering in the community. is not one tc
attract the sympathy of sensible men
Z" The right of property has
played quite as important a part in
the development of the human race
as the right Of personal liberty In
deed, the two rights are so associated
that it is hard to separate
them in a historical discussion.
Capital represents and measures the
difference between the present condi-
ton of society and that which pre-
vailed when men lived by what their
hands would produce without imple-
nients or other means of increasing
the result of their labor; that is, be-
tween the barbarism of prehistoric
ages and modern civilization"
Speaking of the tendency to avoid
jury duty, Mr.. Taft says it arises in
the disposition of causes in jury trials
in our courts. We may well look, he
says. to the English method, where
lawyers are so well trained and judges
so skilled in pushing trials that cases
which in this country would take three
or four weeks are disposed of there
in day or a day and half. Counsel
are not permitted to divert the atten-
ton of the jury to irrelevant circum-
stances and to absurd theories. "The
judge retains control and pushes the
trial, both because 1t usually results
in a juster judgment and also because
neither the time of the court nor of
the jury ought to be taken up with
histrionic exhibitions of counsel for
either side, or with the dragging, te-
dious. and often irrelevant cross-ex-
aminations of supposedly important
Witnesses
OF remissness in the observance of
law. Mr.. Taft says: The public det-
rit, ant ariS toll
followed by immunity from prosecu-
ton or punishment, can hardly be
overstated." Regarding prohibition,
the learned gentleman says: Some
times the sale of intoxicating liquors
is prohibited under penalty in locali-
ties where the public sentiment does
not, and will not, sustain the enforce
ment of the law. This result
is the great argument in favor of So.
called local option, which is really an
for determining wheth-
er a law can be enforced before 1t is
made operative. BY the enactment of
A drastic law and the failure to en-
force it, there is infected into the pub
lie mind the idea that laws are to be
or violated according to the
will of those affected. l need not say
low altogether pernicious such a loose
heory is. General Grant said the way
o secure the repeal of a bad law was
o enforce it, The constant |
collation. or neglect of any law leads to |
demoralized view of all laws
OF the civil service law, Mr.. Taft /
avs: TT has come to be more and |
more regarded as essential to the life
the government and has
realty increased the certainty of
roper administration
lon the whole, when one looks into
he system of government at Washing
on and regards it from the standpoint
f an impartial. tolerant citizen and
rite, taking into consideration all the
limitations of structure and constitu
ion which prevent any government
rom becoming perfect machine, he
an not but reach the conclusion that
re are fortunate people, who have
progressed far in the development of
n efficient public service and in vim
icating the theory of popular SOW
c. T. H.
Honolulu, June, 1908.