Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-23

dores were at the meeting to lodge a
! protest against the amendments pro.
/ posed by the Chamber AS long as
we have the right TO vote, We have the
| right to object to anything We do not
J think Is right" he said, frankly. Give
! your support to all the people and not
/ only to a certain faction Of the people
That is the sentiment of the steve
{ dOres."
! Fern Wants Convention Charter
! Former Mayor J. J. Fern suggested
that a charter had been adopted by a
convention and presented to the legis-
! lature by the secretary of the territory.
Why not adopt the charter as
/ passed." he questioned. 1T is the wish
of the people. 1t is the only duty OF
| this house. If you will not adopt it,
then | say table it. think that the
, taking of certain powers from the
mayor and putting it into the hands of
! the supervisors would not be good
government" >zs
| Supervisor Dan Logan said there
was no sense in putting in an even
number of supervisors, as this would
! mean trouble all along the line. He
declared that the present city charter,
with a few amendments, was good
| enough for Honolulu.
4 Jack Edwardson, who played a
prominent part in the recent steve,
dores' strike, said a move was on foot
to take from the Hawaiians what had
been given them when the Stars and
Stripes we're first raised over these
islands. This" he declared, "is being
done because the Hawaiians cannot de-
fend themselves. The big trouble in
Honolulu is that too many useless
ward-heelers and wouId-be politicians
are being appointed
Finds Common Ground
George w. Smith, retiring president
of the Chamber of Commerce, said. in
substance:
This is the most interesting and
gratifying meeting that has ever been
held on this subject. 1t proves that
We are not so very far apart after all.
certainly congratulate the Hawaiians
on the way they have conducted them
selves. / feel that when it comes to
government by the people, We are one.
What We are doing is for your benefit
as well as our own.
Every move We seek to make is
for the benefit and betterment of the
city, and for the purpose of creating
more beautiful city which will mean
more work for the workingman. We
want to have passed a just and eQuit-
able act. We are not seeking to take
away anyone's rights or privileges. II
we did, 1t would affect the members
of the Chamber of Commerce as we'll
as. all Others"
Deputy City Attorneys A. M. Cristy
and Will T. Garden argued against the
passage of an amendment that would
mean the appointing of the heads OF
city departments. They referred es-
pecially to the city attorney. - -'''
The city attorney is not only the
city counselor but the prosecuting at.
torney," said Garden. "The charter
provides for the criminal punishment
of city officers in many instances. AND
now an amendment is sought to make
the man who does this Furnishing an
pointed and removed at pleasure
Would the city attorney criminally
prosecute a man or body who coul(:
fire him If he did It? Take, for in
stance, the deputy city attorneys who
might have to depend on their salaries
for a livelihood. Such an amendment
would place them in a position where
they would have to sacrifice either
their honor or their Jobs
But / happen to be in a position
where / would not starve If | lost my
job. But what about the next man?
If you pass such an amendment. then
take away from the city attorney his
power to prosecute"
Harry E. Murray declared that the
remarks of Garden and Cristy were
the keynote of the entire argument
against the chamber amendments. He
asserted that the heads of depart
ments should be elected.
If you elect the supervisors and
give them the appointive power, then
you are going to do politics. he con-
tinued. "Under the system proposed
in the charter as it now stands we
want to put the big businessmen on
the board of supervisors. The road
department will never work right il
you appoint a superintendent of city
works. | suggest that the question be
put to a vote-whether the people
want the convention cnarter or the
amendments of the Chamber of Com
merce."
Why Wise Has Changed
John Wise, the next speaker, ex-
pressed sentiments similar to those
Of Murray. Representative C. H.
Cooke asked Wise whether he voted
in the minority at he charter conYen-
ton. 1885,.
Wise replied in the affirmative.
Then why have you changed your
Positioh?" inquired Cooke.
Because | believe in rule by the
majority. the same as you do in the
legislature retorted Wise. -:
The amendments of the chamber
were ably defended by Ex-Governor
Walter F. Frear, one of tia last speak
ers. As in previous hearings, he ex-
planned the working OF the short bal.
lot system and told how it has been