Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-07-25
LETTERS
THE MAN WHO HAD THE TALK
THAT WENT

= Sir. QnQeE the Illie, lne Aa0
Who Had the Talk That Went. :
George AIDE, the humorist. describes
man who used q lot of big words
about subjects OF which he knew moth
ing. This man so impressed his con.
temporaries with his knowledge Of
music, art and literature that they
voted him the wisest of men. and
'courted him most zealously They
thought his conversation great be-
cause they could not understand it.
Perhaps tae editor of the Weekly
Times, MAUI hopes to impress peo-
pie in the same way by writing so ex-
tensively and Interestingly about the
Brown case. ..-~ ~. -.
The editor of the Weekly Times
also criticized severely the Kauai
Chamber OF Commerce. I'VE are sur
prised." he writes in one of his para.
graphs. These who try to defend in
Justice through ignorance of the facts.
or through fayoritism, are always sur.
prised and raise their eyebrows in as.
constituent when anyone dares 10
stand against constituted authority
CT fails to crook the pregnant hinges
of the knee, that thrift may follow
fawning" We sincerely hope the es-
teemed editor will be surprised again
and again. The time is surely COM
ing when secret deals and star cham
Der methods will not be tolerated.
when public business must be carried
on in the open, or at least be made
accessible to the public. -.
The report of the Kauai Chamber
of Commerce committee Of education
was not given the same publicity that
was accorded the statement of the de-
partment of public instruction. 1t Is
worth while for the thoughtful person
to consider the personnel Of this COM
mittee. The chairman, Mr.. Tn.
Brandt, was formerly commissioner
of education for the Island of Kauai.
He resigned because he had been
elected to the board of supervisors
of the County of Kauai, position he
now holds Mr.. Brandt has been con.
spicuous for his loyalty and efficiency
in territorial and county service. He
was commissioner of education at the
time that certain of the matters re-.
ferred to in the statements of the SUI
perintendent of public instruction took
place, and was eminently qualified to
understand the situation. He is
banker and a resident Of Waimea,
where the Browns taught The other
members of the committee are DR..
II. Warehouse of Koloa. and DR.. K.
Holman of Kealia. Both are men Of.
standing, educated, fair
public-spirited
This committee had the statements
of the department of public instruc-
ton and they went over them care
fully. They gave those on both sides
a chance to present their cases, and
they considered the matter thorough
ly, They reported to the chamber Of
commerce and the report was adopted
without q dissenting vote. In con-
trast to this, the Weekly Times, hay.
ing read the statement of the depart.
ment of public instruction. feels free
to criticize the Kauai chamber. Al
ready the Times has convicted the
Browns without a trial.
We cannot here go into details con-
corning the facts of the case. An In.
vesigator, who really wanted to find
the facts, could get them easily. but
thus far constituted authority" has
furnished all the evidence. If a news
paper claims the right to attack tho
action of body of practical, fair.
minded men-men OF integrity and
standing these men haveia right to
demand that the paDer get the facts.
Judgment by prejudice is as obsolete
as trial by ordeal and combat
The Times dwells lovingly on the
question of obedience. There is obedi.
ence demanded of public officials by
the people, their source of power, and
whenever an official violates the
PRINCIPLES Of fairness and Justice, or
uses his power as tool for individu-
ais to work Injustice. he has been
untrue and disobedient to the author.
lty which CONSTITUTED him. Tam
many Hall made the same appeal to
constituted authority when its
abuses were exposed, and SO did King
John. and so did every other tyrant
whose abuses led to public remon-
STRANGE
The Kauai Chamber OF Commerce
was organized to promote the well
fare of Kauai. II reDresents the whole
island, and it believes that It pro-
notes the community welfare when
It stands for fair treatment for every
enc. The chamber has ideals and
works for them. Such a course pro-
vokes criticism. especially from CON
stitutad authority" but 1t is bound to
win the respect of fair.minded people.
The chamber of commerce. never
defended the Browns, nor asked for
more than q fair hearing of the case.
The committee tried to get at the
facts of the case and reported its
findings from the evidence. From
the evidence submitted 1t believes
the Browns have been treated un-