Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-16
PADDING PAfROLLS FOR POLITICS

Another step in the supervisors plan to hire
a special clerk for the board and add new sal
K airy to a burdensome payroll is to be taken to
night by a majority Of the board if it can force
the ordinance through second reading.
Under the ridiculous guise of getting up a re-
port on what the board has done, it's members
are trying to play petty political game. This
game, as the Star Bulletin has stated before, is
simply to give the supervisors the kind of pub
1icity that will shed soft, refulgent glow over
their year and a half in office, that will lend a
roseate hue TO their record, that will fascinate
and influence the voters toward sending the i'm
mortal seven back to the city hall for two years
more of the kind of administration they have
been giving ... 49,
The supervisors who favor this beneficent
scheme have pointed out two main advantages,
that it will keep the public informed day by
day as to what the board is doing, and that it
will result in complete report to the legisla-
ture. s.:~s ILL.,. =. - s-.8> H. - :
As to the legislative report, the Star Bulletin
pointed out the fact that the1egisIatute. Of 1911
expressly repealed the law which called for this
report from the supervisors. The report is now
made by the county auditor. This paper has yet
to see proof that there is any legal requirement
now existing for report from the heard to the
legislature If there is no such requirement, the
supervisors are simply padding the payroll.
Now as to the other point,-,that the public
Will be kept informed as to What the board is
doing.
Ii the board is sincere in this it would have
some advantages, but the board is not sincere.
The board would not, for instance, wish to keep
the public informed as to where and under what
circumstances its back-room cauc,Ises are held.
Those members of the board who were squawk-
ing loudly few days ago for a new steam-roller
wonld probably not care to make public the de-
tails of an agreement by which certain firm
here was to get the patronage. These caucuses,
these agreements are matters of interest to the
public, but the public would not get such pro-
ceedings thraugh any sheet or any publication
controlled by the supervisors and therefore
handled by political trimmcrs with one eye ON
the voter and the other eye on private interest.
Certain members of the board seem to think
the Star Bulletin has selfish end in view. To
those of the public who might be deceived by
this, the tar-Bulletin will say that it has al
ready refused to negotiate for the printing un,
der such circumstances.
This paper knows that the whole scheme on
which the supervisors are working is not a
scheme for public efficiency or municipal serN,
ice. This paper does not propose to be black
lacked into line for political deal.
1t may be that the supervisors can "put over
something that will enable them to get before the
public "in proper light" 1t may be that their
childish and laundering attempts to carry on
the city's business can be so gildel as to appear
to the casual voter like good administration. 1t
may be that the supervisors themselves can be
whitewashed and kalsOmined, and shine out in
new and sanity hues.
1t may be,-but we don't think So
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&c TN nEU0cplCY,e APPOINTMENTS