The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-05-23


as an offset the heavy loss of time and
expense in the disturbance Of the work
of the federal court, trial juries and
grand juries and of hearings before
the United States commissioner, by rea-
son of the noise Of street cars on Fort
and King streets and heavy traffic there
and on Merchant and Bishop streets
which, with the growth of the city. the
more frequent passing of cars and the
opening Of Bishop street directly to the
waterfront, win be even greater than
! 1t is now.
Court House Importance,
And, by the way, the speaker in de-
failing the uses of the federal building
invariably referred to its use by the
people as a postoffice, customhouse and
internal revenue office, without once
mentioning its use as a courthouse.
Now, no one will deny that the post
Office business of the building will be
many times the business of all other
departments put together; but the bust
ness of the court, United States mar
shall, district attorney and court clerk
is, so far as the people at large are
concerned, greatly in excess of that of
any other department except the post
Office. So far as the customhouse and
internal revenue Office are concerned,
any argument of convenience of the
people is mere buncombe. No one goes
to the customhouse, for example, ex-
eept a comparatively few importers of
foreign goods, and they deal to a large
degree through customhouse brokers
and clerks. The Irwin site is quite
rs convenient to the shipping part Of
town as the Mahuka site; it is nearer
TO the new wharves. 1t would be very
disagreeable and inconvenient, from
the standpoint of business interests. "a
have lower Fort street and Merchant
street blocked with drays bringing
goods from foreign steamers to the Gus.
tomhouse for appraisal. There is such
thing as having too central posi-.
hon. Later herein will appear some
further consideration of this point of
eentrality, in replying specially to some
other arguments of the speaker.
Mr.. Taylor, an architect who came
here from Washington to consult about
Che matter, was cited by Mr.. Castle as
saying that he thought the Mahulka site
ideal. He may have said that, in view
', of the circumstances of the occasion
and time, some FIVE or six years ago.
But his views of the Irwin site were
not mentioned. And, under the condi-
lions now and here, the intelligent.
leading men of the 5000 or 5000 people
who have signed the petition for a
change of site are quite as competent
as Mr.. Taylor to pass upon the three
questions which he is quoted as having
said to be fundamental: as to, first, the
best interests of the community flor
these 5000 citizens, voters, are the com
munity, or larger part of it than any
body that has yet spoken, in a frepre.
sentative meeting" or otherwise on the
site question:; as to, second, the de-
slres ofthe business community (Which
is well represented on the petition Of
5O00); as to, third, the desires and re-
qnirements of the United States gov
eminent (of which the officials at Wash
ington have always preferred the Pal
ace Square site, and of whieh'the local
officers are lined up almost, if not quite.
to man in favor of the Irwin prop.
erty).
!" The attempt in Washington to ex
change the Mahuka site for another met
with indignation " And rightly. too.
yet not on account of the merits of the
respective sites, but on account of the
un.American, and unfair, methods of
attempting TO secure the change-math-
DDS comparable to an attorneys going
to the judges of a court, secretly, with
out notice to the other parties, and try
ing to get them to set aside their deci-
sion and render one in his favor. Such
an attorney might have a case deserv-
ing favorable decision, but his proper
course would be to file motion for re.
hearing, and give notice to all parties.
The methods Of attempted change were
unfortunate and unworthy Of a good
causei but the methods are not rele-
want here.
The United States Government has
made its choice" 1t made it. against
the judgment of its officers as to the
best site. But it has made its choice
many times, and changed it, too, to the
final satisfaction of the large majority
concerned.
Then, the Speaker admits, that eve
are not here 10 consider the best build
ing site, but why the building site
should be changed. - That may bel
true. 1t looks as If it were true. That
may be why he was there, why the
CIVIC Federation as a body was there
represented. But, the 5000 who signed
the petition for a change, and who rep
resent two-thirds of the voters. and
two thirds of the thinking'' men of
the community, prefer to consider the
question as to what is the best site, as
well as the question whether If a better
site is available, the present site should
be changed. It was very evident, that
the Civic Federation, protesting to be
a disinterested, neutral body, lent Il.
self TO partizau campaign meeting in
the interests Of the Mahnka site. This
body of progressive citizens. pretend.
ing TO act In the interests Of fun,
.f1ee, and fair discussion, presented two
speakers who are most active for the
Mahuka site, one speaker who profess.
ed to speak fairly Tor tho ncivie cen.
ter idea, but who shortly before the
meeting acknowledged his adherence 10
the "stand-patv Mahuka contingent.
and a fourth speaker who ID fairness 10
HE position as the peoples F6p4osonta.
tive In congress could only say, ~ am
your delegate, II you ever make up
your mind, and work through the dele. |
gate whom yoa have chosen, / win fO. |
low the dictates Or the people. Ths
ils4 fedcraiAou. which fels it6flf 10 /
- te'i fhe ''eoiainouN people how %