The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-02-27
ASK YOURSELF
THESE QUESTIONS
Mr.. Taxpayer and Mr.. Automobile
Owner, What Do You Think of
the Supervisors ActionP

Why did the board Of supervisors at
their meeting yesterday afternoon prae
tically ''turn down. the offer Of W..
Spencer Bowen, manager of the Asso
ciated Charities, to furnish two hundred
unemployed men free Of all cost to the
city TO work in the road department
until they could find employment else
where, the city to be placed under no
expense whatever except TO provide ma
terial and tools with which the men
could work.
| Why did one supervisor bring up the
point that some Of the men whose free
services were offered were not citizens
and could not be employed, when, as
"a matter of fact, the men would not be
employed by the city, but would give
their labor to the city and countyf
Why did another supervisor bring up
the point that the men were not
skilled In road work, when short
1 jaunt over the city. streets and county
roads would show plenty Of Opportunity
where unskilled labor eonld be used to
lsplendid advantage in, repairing and
making more passable the thorough.
/ faresi n,
| Why did another supervisor bring up
the point that the city has not shovels
and other equipment for pick and
shovel work more than that required
TO equip the two hundred men now
employed as common laborers with such
4 toolsi E@.. fG
] Why did not that supervisor inquire
II ii might not be possible TO borrow
some Of the shovels and picks used by
the many pick and shovel men EN-.
ployed in the water department Just
pr,or to the last electioni ~.
| why did one supervisor ask Mr..
Bower why he did not put the men
to work on the plantations, after Mr..
Bowen had explained that there was
no work for the men on the planta.
tions and that he was simply asking
that the men be given something to do
Tor the city at no cost TO the super.
visors and to be paid entirely out of
. fund to be raised by the Associated
Charitiesf r, NV ~. =
| Why should the city engineer last
night declare that there was no work
for men aside FROM those now employed
and that there were no tools for them
and no money with which 20 buy tools
| Does the city engineer contend that
two hundred mon, at absolutely no cos'
to the city could not be used to good
advantage at the present time in the
road Department. -..'' -"
| Or is 1T just little political play
the fear of the supervisors that hench
meu and voters would ask them embar.
RAISING questions why others were put
to work (even though they worked for
nothing so far as it cost the city and
county, and they were not allowed "a
feed from the supervisors trough
Mr.. Bowen made his offer in good
faith, and yet the supervisors turned
down his plan TO turn over TO the road
department two hundred men TO 20 ou,
on the streets and roads and work will
picks and shovels TO plae6 the road,
WAYS in good condition. To accept this
] gift of labor they found it necessary tc
defer the offer for discussion 2 until
next tuesday, Whyf Ft
Bowen's offer had no strings at,
taehed, nor was joker hidden in IL
tie simply went to the board, told then
that he had a list Of about two hundred
laborers who were out Of work until
the opening of the summer pineapple
season; that he desired to see the mer
given work, and would turn them over
TO the city and the Associated Chair
ties would provide fund Whereby tho
men would be paid at the rate OF on,
dollar per day. Theemen are all sturdy
immigrants, all Injured to and capabl,
OF hard labor, and would give the roat
department a large, costless workinl
force at time when the supervisor
are crying retrenchment because OF
lack Of funds and are placing the blam,
for the poor condition Of the street,
and roads TO the financial condition Of
the city and county. a'. ~.
Whyf Is 1t politics being played s,
soon before the elections of next au
tumni ~.