Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-17
Former Governor Declares City
Treasurer Has NO Authority
to Borrow Payroll Money
from Banks Fern Declines
to Make the Communication
Public
MCCARTHY SAYS THERE IS
A MISUNDERSTANDING
Treasurer Explains That War.
rants Are Cashed and Held
by Financial institutions Un.
til Funds Are Forthcoming, 5
Per Cent Being Allowed

~ WI" SSHIS HHO"OO
drawing attention to what be says
1s disregard by City and County
Treasurer Mccarthy in borrowing
money from local banks to tide over
municipal stringencies, Former Gov
ernor George r. Carter tod ay wrote
an open letter to Mayor, Fern, vigor-
ously critieising the arrangement to
meet last Saturdays city payroll and
previous arrangements of a similar
kind. = ..~~ !,
IN the same letter Mr.. Carter draws
attention TO the fact that last week he
found three county wagons busily en-
gagged in hauling dirt from a Pawaa
lot to fiji side-alley leading to the
home Of Thomas J. Kennedy, recently
appointed road overseer.
''The man In the street would like
to hear On explanation of these things,
and he Is entitled to II from the public
Officials, !" said Mr.. Carter today: 4
The letter follows. x;
Hon. J. ]. Fern, Mayor City and
County OF Honolulu, City.
Dear Sir: When high public of.
ficials refuse to do that which the
law provides for, they nnconsciously
prepare the ground for a harvest of
graft. The line of duty between
right and wrong then becomes mat
ter Of individual opinion. and the low.
IS er public officials naturally begin to
do as they please. The testimony Of
convicted grafters rarely shows up
man who deliberately Intended to do
,Nss,.v, - Aas,a locf tlsair
sense Of judgment and suddenly find
their ideas differ from kthose of the
courts. 3,
Now. think citizen who winizs
at irregularities has little ehuse to
kick over losses due to. embe1zlement
or its prosecution. and Citizen who
is indifferent does not do his full
duty. Hence these questions to you, !
the official head of the city and coun-
~ government.
Asks Explanation
tCan you, or those officials more
directly responsible, explain publicly
how the county treasurer all by him
self can quietly borrow money from
the banks. as stated in the local I,
press, In the face of the fact that in |
constructing our county government :
no such power was granted?
"The bank may conceive 1t evidence
oH local patriotism to help the county |
CUT for a consideration, or its attor-
ney may give a favorable legal opin !
ion which differs from that Of other
attorneys. But the fact remains that
the county has no powers beyond |
those given by the people, and as the
people usually desire to know all !,
about their own affairs so they pro-
Nided In detail just what they wanted
done when there was no cash in the
treasury See s. L. 1907, Act III,
Secs. 99.104. CSee sections quoted be-
low.)
Do those who make other arrange
mentS for financing the county thing
their disapproval of the plan provided
justification for setting 1t aside?
I'VE are so accustomed to condone
offenses that ! presume many would
think it unfair to appeal to the courts,
and on favorable decision force the
banks to lose these advances even if
there was no misuse of the money.
Again, how can we expect subordi-
nate and minor officials to fully do
Al6H uutg ISSdFUl6SS vi IuSli O"u
opinion when they see certain bank
ers and the city treasurer get around
the plain intent of the county act?
How About This?
And finally, can you tell me why
when three county wagons, six county
mules, and three drivers twhose
names have) are engaged in hauling
dirt to fill little side alley off Ena
road, which leads into the rear Of
the assistant county road superin-
tendent's residence: Why, ask,
should they dump any of that filing
in the yard of that county official?
And why should the superintendent
of the stable at kakaakO give en-
lAoyment to a water-cart driver when !
there is no street-watering needed by
sending him out to spread the dirt
around the other officials back yard s
and the insignificant alley? To the
man in the street these transactions {
seem ODD and if there is a saiisfac-
tory explanation he needs it. Surely {
these instances do not Illustrate the I
kind of administration the Democratic {
I.arty promised the voters. Nor do I
they inspire confidence?
Very sincerely yours.
&c r. CARTER.
How the Law Reads
The sections in the session laws of