The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-06-15
THE SUPERVISORS
ARE ANSWERED

At the meeting of the Hawaii Pro
motion Committee yesterday after.
room, the resolution OF the board Of
supervisors relative to the commit.
tees appointment of Walter G. Smith
as lecturer publicity agent was dis
oussed, although not yet formally
communicated to the body.
II was shown that Mr.. Smiths pos
sible attitude on the race question
had been fully considered in advance
of his appointment, and that he had
given satisfactory assurance that he
had no idea OF carrying any loca
political issues into promotion work
w. II. Mclnerny said the Hawaii
ans as lawmakers had been the ones
to place good laws on the statute
books, while most of the mischiev
Gus laws had emanated from white
legislators. He also said that on the
board of supervisors the Hawaiians
had shown better judgment thar
some of the white men.
Paul Isenberg, B. Won Damn and
4. x. Myers endorsed these senti
ments, and the following letter was
read to show Mr.. Smiths intentions
as lecturer:
Honolulu, June 10, 1912.
H. P. Wood, Esq, Secretary Ha.
wall Promotion Committee
My dear Sir:-I would herewith
acknowledge the receipt of your
favor of June 3,-containins a
copy of the resolutions passed ny
the Hawaii Promotion Committee
in relation to my employment as
lecturer and publicity agent of
the committee in the mainland Of
the United States and throu ~
out the Dominion of Canada and
outlining my duties in connection
Herewith.
In reply to the inquiry rs 10
my possible attitude on the color
question to be taken in public ad-
dresses, let me say, as ! said
some days ago, to Mr.. ]. d. Nc
Inerny, that the subject has no
relation to my plans. Local polit-
ical differences should have moth
ing to do with promotion work
for all and this work should not
recognize such differences or
those of race and color To help
promotion, | should naturally want
to attract people here, not drive
them away or perpleX them about
coming and thus defeat the OBJ
iects of our mission. Touching
the Hawaiians, any lecture or Sc
ries of pictures which ] may give
as a means of persuading main
landers to visit us, would natur-
ally show the picturesque and
attractive phases of native life,
not be designed to create preiu-
dice and alarm. Should | find in
the South misgiving about the
color or attitude of our native
Teople | should consider it my
duty to allay them; and in this
connection I shall hope to get
native musicians to help create an
interest in the lectures and to
prove their own civilization and
culture.
Permit me to call your atten-
ton to the fact, in accepting
your proposition for years SER
vice that my views of local poll
tics have never Colored my serv-
ices to Hawaii on the mainland
where l have had access to press
and platform for many years. In
lectures there about Hawaii
have never mentioned local feuds
or divisions nor drawn the color
line. You may be sure that
should not do so in promotion
work which can not be well done
il I should give anybody an ex-
cuse for staying away from here.
Thanking you for the appoint.
ment as lecturer and publicity
agent and hoping to justify it by
services of value to all the peo-
pie of this Territory, l remain,
very truly yours,
WALTER G.. SMITH.
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