The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-01-12
IS
TURNED DOWN

| Inc democrats, through one of the
party leaders, yesterday gave out a
tentative plan of compromise, whereby
the present trouble between the Mayor
and the Republican majority of the
Supervisors might be settled and bust
ness proceed satisfactorily until such
time as an agreed statement of facts
might be submitted to the Supreme
Court. The plan arose from a sugges.
tion made by w. o. Smith, adopted by
the Democrats and agreed to, and sub
mitted informally to the Republicans in
caucus. The Republicans turned it
down fatty and things this morning are
just where they were on Monday last.
The proposal of the Mayor and his
advisers was; The proceedings of the
board up to yesterday to be wiped out
and fresh start made; the Mayo. to
waive any rights that the law might
have given him to make appointments
prior, to December 80, 1908; to concede
the appointment of the standing COM
mittees of the board as desired by the
Republican members, with the agree
ment that place on one more com
mittee be given Supervisor Mcclellan;
to agree to nominate for the heads of
the various city departments Repub
licans with the exception of the road
supervisorship, which was to go to a
Democrat. The Republicans we're ask
ed to concede the right of the Mayor
to make the appointments to the city
Offices with the approval of the board;
to agree to confirm his appointment of
Wilson as road supervisor; to withdraw
their rule empowering the committees
to employ the various lieutenants and
l..1
delegating that right to the depart
mental heads as has heretofore been
done, and to forego the claim they have
practically made to incur obligations
against the county without first submit
ting any incurring action to the Mayor
for his veto or approval.
The Republicans announced after
their caucus yesterday at noon that
they would under no circumstances ap-
prove of the nomination of any Demo
crat for the office of road supervisor,
claiming that that office was the only
| one needed by the Democrats to enable
them to go ahead with the perfecting
of political machine, now that they
had the police department in their
hands.
Mr.. Smiths Suggestion.
Following an interview in the matter
of way out of the present municipal
difficulty, given to an Advertiser repre-
sentative on Thursday, w. o. Smith
embodied his ideas in letter, address
| ed to this paper, as follows:
| Editor Advertiser:-Ma Fern S
| published statement indicates that he
desires suggestions as to how the pres
ent controversy between himself and
the Board of Supervisors can be settled
and / offer the following:
The Act incorporating the City and
County of Honolulu provides for gov
ernment by Mayor and a Board of
Supervisors of seven members. The
controlling power is lodged in the Board
of Supervisors with the Mayor as pre-
siding officer. The power of the Mayor
is subject to the control of the Board; !;
i'even his veto may be overridden by n
vote of five members of the Board.
The Mayor attempted to ignore the
authority of the Board, and the Board
took course which they deemed neces
sary to assert their authority and per>
form the duties imposed upon them by
law. Confusion has resulted and pub
lie business is hindered Keeping up
the strife is not in the public interests.
A simple solution would be for the
Mayor and Supervisors to come to-
gether and practically start afresh. Let
all action so far taken be rescinded.
Let the Mayor present to the Board
such appointments as he is authorized
to make, for their approval; and all
other steps be taken in the manner
authorized by the Act, with the Mayor
presiding and performing his duties.
OF course this will result in the ma
jority of the Board having control,
which is what the Act contemplates and
the Legislature intended.
If the animating desire is to serve
the public way can be found. Where
there is a will there is a way.
Obstinate Supervisors will be judged
and remembered by the voters as well
as an obstinate Mayor.
WILLIAM o. SMITH.
Jan. Z, 1909.
Suggestion Already Acted On.
In the meanwhile, before the receipt
of the letter, the suggestion had been
taken to Mayor Fern as basis of set
tlement. The Mayor was favorably i'm
pressed with the suggestion and or
Thursday evening various members OF
the board were consulted in the mat
ter and what was regarded as salts
factory progress was made. An agree
ment was practically arrived at on al
points but the one of the appointment
of the road supervisor. 1t seemed tt
be certain, however, that if dari
s horse of Republican leanings would b.
Q proposed for the position, this matte
]. might also be agreed on.
{ Yesterday morning, in consultation
,, with w. A. Kinney, Mayor Fern au
e thorized the submission of the abov
agreement to the Supervisors.
), w. o. Smiths Approval.
a The skeleton of the basis of agree
n ment, as above, was informally lai
" before Mr.. Smith, who stated that tn
% basis was in his view a reasonable on
,f although he had not looked into tn
It details of its working out.
s. Other Republicans looked for o
,e agreement on the basis suggested, bl
n nothing has come of it. Other Repul
h. licans saw in it demand on the pa