Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-08
THE WILL OF THE PE0PlL" IS efficiency

The good faith Of the Democratic party with
the people has been kept by the five supervisors
who last night stood between the rapaciOus Dem
ocratie county committee and efficiency in city
business a~f.% -
a majority Of the board, four Democrats and
the lone Republican, Mfr. Cox, refuse to allow
Mayor Fern to turn the fire department over to
the spells system, ard this game or greater ma
jority, it now seems fairly certain will refuse to
GUST the capable city engineer and the capable
city electrician simply Ter the sake of putting
Democrats in their places.
Two of the supervisors, Messrs. Pacheco and
Wolter, believe that the entire city admin stra-
ton should be Bourb0nized where it is possible
to do so by displacing Republicans with Demo
Gratis. These two supervisors take the position
that the people of the city voted the Democratic
party into office at the last election and expect
the Democratic party to rule absolutely. 1t is
an open question of policy,-shall party policy
be the first consideration, the overwhelming con-
sidertion in city affairs? Two Democratic su-
pcrvisDrs demand thatit shall be- -four Demo
cratic supervisors stand firm against tumbling
out certain extremely capable heads of city OPP
Grating departments to put in Democratic camp
followers whose ability to make good is extreme
" doubtful 49,. ~ r. s44{$3 - -
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 business-like city government. And when
the mayor, prodded on by the insistent and
greedy spoiIslnen of the county committee,
adopts the short-sighted method of playing
wholly partisan politics in office, when super
yisors lend him aid, they are not carrying out
the will of the people.
The will of the people kept Auditor James
Bicknell, Republican, in office because he is eft.
ficient; the will of the people kept City Clerk
Kalauokalani, Republican, in office because he
is efficient; the will of the people kept City At
forney Cathcart in office because he is efficient.
The rest of the Republicans went down to de-
feat, but the men who had proved their ability
were returned to office. The people demand eff,
fieiency, and whether the party designation OF
the efficient man is Republican or Democrat
matters little. That is the basic fact behind the
hundreds of Independent votes that were cast
last November to put the present office holders
in power.
There should be no objection to the Demo-
Gratis displacing the horde of Republican minor
officials with Bourbons, because this horde rep
resents little in the way of efficiency. Repub-
lican or Democratic, it represents nothing but
so many votes. The Democrats are entitled to
distribute patronage in these minor offices, and
the efficiency of the whole cannot greatly suffer
But the fire departments capable chief should
be retained, the city engineer aud the city elcc-
trician, for technical ability is imperative in
these positions and the Democrats haYesbrOught
no candidates forward who approach these t'tre'.
men in their respective merits.
Fair-minded Republicans and Democrats
alike, men who see farther than petty iobbery or
Immediate political effect, will laud the super
vsors who are doing their larger duty to the peo-
pie of guaranteeing progressive city government.
@E tt00fD