The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-06-30
SUPERVISORS
WOULD SH|FT
BLAME
Admit Tuberculosis Is Rampant in
Honolulu But Would DO Moth
ing 60 Combat Disease-Resolu.
tions Putting Question Up to
Territory Buried in Files and
Not Given Out for Publication.
(rr6m saturday Adyertiser. J

(from saturday Advertiser.)
Apparently hoping thereby TO cover
up their neglect Of the helpless tuber-
culosis sufferers who are now dying in
Honolulu for want OF proper care, the
supervisors, at meeting held June "a,
passed resolutions In which they al.
tempt to shift tue responsibility ON the
Territory. Processing lack Of funds
necessary to combat tuberculosis on
Oahu, they ask the Governor to up.
point a eommittee to carry on an in
vestigation, report TO the next legisla-
ture, and afR for territorial support
TO carry on the work.
At rne same meeting, however, ex-
tensive plans were beng discussed Tor
increasing the working force in the
different departments OF the city gov
ernment; ia other words, to provide.
soft berths at good pay for the politi-
cal henchmen through whom they hope
to make their way back TO power at
the coming election.
1--WE realize that there is need of
more aid for the White Plague fight
in Honolulu, they tell their eonstitu-
ents when appeals for aid TOR the beahi
Home are made, ''but we have no
money to meet the emergency In
the meantime consumption IS spreading
in Honolulu, sufferers, friendiess and
without funds, are practically dying on
the streets and the menace continues,
while the supervisors divert public
funds into channels where they hope
to get political returns.
Taxpayer Protests.
~ hope that the voters Of Honolulu
win resent tins policy Of the super
visions Of making getting Of more
Importance than lite-saving,p said a
we'll known citizen yesterday. "1he
manner in when they attempt to pass
responsibility. on to the Territory and
their clumsy efforts to bury the reso-
lutions show that they know the seurvy,
trick they are playing on helpless in
valids. Let ns hope the exposure will
cause them TO realize that we are living
in an age where human life is held
more valuable than political power.
The attempts on the part of the super
visors TO pass the responsibility baelS
On the Territory, according to, taxpay,
ers who have Investigated, is maze
more absurd when II is known that the
Territory is now spending thousands of
dollars annually in this work. The
last Legislature made provision for
spending thirty thousand dollars per
year in preventive health work through.
out the Territory, in addition to pro.
yiding forty thousand dollars annually
for the support of tuberculosis suffer
ers.
The supervisors, rather than cut down
their political patronage funds on Oahu,
are allowing Leah Home to turn away
sufferers from tuberculosis, to die I'M
cared for and a menace to the health
of the community. ,.'
Here is copy Of the "'hidden'' reso,
lutions, No. ia; W. \
Admit Disease Is Rampant.
Whereas, Tuberculosis is prevalent
In the Territory TO an, alarming extent,
and according to Information from
reliable sources is Increasing from
year to year; and
Whereas, The deaths from this
dread disease, in the City of honolulu
alone, is upwards of 100 per year; and
Whereas, BY proper medical treat.
ment, it is claimed that not less tn N
seventy-fve per cent of the cases can
be cured if taken in their carry
stages; and
''Whereas, The City and County Of
Honolulu is without funds to properly
care for the large number Gf cas'
needing attention, nor is it Just that
the City alone should bear this heavy
tax, but rather should it be tax
against the whole Territory, to be pro.
yided for by the Legislature, Now
Therefore Be II
Passing the Buck
"Resolyed, BY the Board Of Super.
visors Of the City and County OF EO-
nolulu that the Governor be and here,
by is requested to appoint Commits
sion of five citizens OF the Tcrritoly,
(not more than two to be from the
medical fraternity, and 10 serve
without pay, to consider ways and
means TO provide for the proper hos.
pital treatment OF those aftiicted with
first; by increasing the housing faCiE
ities of the, Leah Home to meet the
needs of all applicants; or, second: by
the establishment OF a territorial hos
pitaT for such purpose; such Commls.
sion to report ID the Goyernur not later
than January drst next, and such 70.
port to be laid before the Legislature
at It's next session with such recon
inendations as tho Governor may sec
At to make; And Be II Further
psH Resolved, That a copy Of these
Resolutions be transmitted to the Gov
ernor Of the Territory Of Hawaii, the
President OF the Territorial Board of
Health, the City and County Physie-
ian, the Trustees, Of the Queens Hos
pital, the Trustees of Leah Home and
Dr. A. N. Sinclair.' It,,
ptcaanted hr Edw III y Walter.