Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-05-23
Briefly Reviews Record of the
Present Board, Urges Re-
: election of Republican Ticket

From Supervisor Hatch, now on
/ mainland trip, the ,Star-Bulletin has
Deceived the following letter:
| San Francisco, Cal. May Is, 1917.
Editor Honolulu Star-BulIetin.
Si.: One who has served as super
visor for year need make no excas3
for offering a report 10 his ''constitu-
| ents," the only apology called for
being on account of the personal note
which runs through the statement,
which is unavoidable, as otherS Is"
the report would lose much of its
element of testimony; and it is as the
evidence Of an eyewitness that THIS
Is offered.
At the outset~it may be stated that
no appeal is made to the politica!
partisan, nor to the purist, who Is sat
isfied by no poor human effort in
this world Of misery. My report ana
ay appeal are made to the large class
OF my fellow-citiEens who are in doubt.
Unfortunately 1t Is easier to vote for
another set Of candidates, II in doubt,
than it is to seek out the truth and
make \ decision on the merits. Pos
Sibly my statement may help some
of this class.
A vacancy having occurred in the
board of supervisors, the mayor made
several efforts to find a businessman
willing to accept the responsibilities
of the place, and, incidentally, to run
into the very unpleasant style OF per-
sonal criticism at that time 60 freely
Iavished upon the city fathers. The
law wisely authorized the mayor to
fill such vacancies in order to escape
the expense of a by-election. The
board was far from popular just then,
and rumors. we're rife OF financial
embarrassment. When the offer
came. to me it was hare OF any ele'
ment of compliment. The only thought
which arose was: Mayor Lane seems
to be earnestly trying to find some
man not connected with ward politics
10 fill this place. II he is refused
third time, who can blame him II he
turns to the class in politics for
nying?" Having retired from business
some years before, the call in this case
was CONSUMPTION, pure and simple. IL
is not necessary to" go into the rea-
sons which led to giving up OF q
portion Of the simple life" then my
good fortune. Curiosity to find out
IL the beast was as black as he was
painted perhaps lad something to DO
with it; also, the desire to be able to
criticise with q clear conscience those
of my age who refrain from sharing
in the common burden. -. -
Financial Embarrassment-Reasons
On taking my seat in the board 1t
became apparent that there was some
embarrassment. This is q
good place to underscore this point:
That at no time since the grant OF
local enlightenment to Honolulu has
any scandal. furnished the good name
OF any board of supervisors yet electia
"a. Democratic and Republican both
have equally good recordssin this re-
spect. The embarrassment OF the
present board resulted from slight
excess In efficiency in the attempt to
make the city housekeeping credit.
able. Al slight examination showed
where the money had gone: Traffic
1olice and other urgent additions to.
the police force, new fire apparatus.
new street-lighting plant, additions To
the police and fIre-alarm telephone
system. were among the calls made
by growing city; all of which had |
escaped the vigilance OF
the last legislature when it proyidedl
he funds. and limit Of expenditure,
for the ,wo-year period. The "effiei.
ency" has continued trifie strong B
during this the second year OF the
board. especially in respect to road |
expenditures. But look at the results:
The Pail road and parapet are mon =
ument OF which any board might be
proud. ~ = r - i
No person can contend with hon