Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-08
The WILL OF THE PEOPLE," IS EfHClENCYa

The COED faith of the Democratic party Will
the people has been kept by the five supervisor
who last night stood between the rapacieus Dem
oeTatic county committee and efficiency in city
business. e.. ~.
A majority Of the board, -four Democrats and
tie lene Republican, Mr.. Cox, refuse to allow
Mayer Fern to turn the fire department over tC
the spells system, ard this same or greater ma
orits it DOW seems fairly certain, will refuse te
Gust the capable city engineer and the capable
city electrician simply fer the sake of putting
Democrats in their places. -. -.
Tive, of the supervisors, Messrs. Pacheco and
5Folter, believe that the entire city admiristra
ton should lie Bourbonized where it is possible
to do so by displacing Republicans with Demo
rats These two supervisors take the position
that the people of the city voted the Democratic
party into office at the last election and expect
TIC Democratic party to rule absolutely. 1t is
ia open question Of policy, shall party policy
be the first consideration, the overwhelming con
sidertion in city affairs? Two Democratic su
btryisors demand that it shall be, four Demo
ratio supervisors stand firm against tumblne
out certain extremely capable heads of city OPP
rating departments to put in Democratic camp
followers whose ability to make good is extreme
81 doubtful.
With due respect for the sincerity of the two
supervisors, the Star-Bulletin would point out
that the people voted Democrats into office be
cause the Republicans had failed to satisfy the
voters on the score of efficiency, and because the
Democrats promised better, more economical
more businesslike city government And when
The mayor, prodded on by the insistent and
greedy spoilsmen of the county committee
adopts the short sighted methodssefA playing
wholly partisan politics in office, when super
risors lend him aid, they aie mot carrying out
The will of the people. -
The will of the people kept Auditor james
BickneIl, Republican, in office because he is eff
fitient; the will Of the people Kept City Clerl
Kalauokalani, Republican, i'm office because ht
Is efficient; the will of the people kept City At
torney Cathcart in office because he Is efficient
The rest of the Republicans went down to de
feat, but the men who had proved their abilit,
we're returned to office. The people demand eft
ficiency, and whether the party designation O
the efficient man is Republican or Democrat
matters little That is the basic fact behind thu
hundreds Of independent votes that were cas-
last November to put the present office-holder'
ID power.
There should be no objection to- the Demo
Gratis displacing the horde Of Republican minol
officials with Bourbons, because this horde rep
resents little in the way of efficiency. Repub
lican or Democratic, it represents nothing bu
50 many votes. The Depocrats are entitled t,
distribute patronage in these minor offices, ant
the Efficiency of the whole cannot greatly suffer
But the fire departments capable chief Should
be retained the city engineer anu the city eiec
frician, for technical ability is imperative il
these positions and the Democrats have brough
no candidates forward who approach these tItre'
men in their respective meritss 49,
Fair-minded Republicans and Democrat
alike, men who see farther than petty jobbery o.
Immediate political effect, will laud the super
yisors who are doing their larger duty to the PEG
pie of guaranteeing progressive city government