Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-17
MONDAY. ........... DECEMBER II, 1917.
Practising Carpet-Baeeine Upon


Reward of deserving Democrats and use of Ha
wall to paw the Administrations political debts and
build I'D the national Democratic machine never
had more graphic illustration than in the appoint
ment Of Col Howard Hathaway of Everett, Wash
iugton as internal revenue collector for the terri
tory.
The story of patronage distribution is told in the
Everett Tribune entirely without intention of re
fecting on Hathaway-in fact the article is lauda
tOry-but Just as a matter of news. The significant
paragraph is this
-Four or five weeks ago a request came to John B.
Fogarty, chairman Of the Democratic state central
committee from Washington D. c. to recommend a
position Of internal revenue collector for
the district Of Hawaii Mr.. Fogarty summoned sew
eraI men a conference in Everett and asked TOT
their combined judgment to whom they should rec
mend. To Col Hathaway fell the unanimous choice
There il is in nutshell-the payment OF po-
IticaI debt. 1t appears that the state of Washing
ton which delivered" for Mr.. Wilson in the last
national election, had a fat political plum coming,
and the administration luckily had fat political
plum to give-the Hawaiian cOllectorship. Demand
and supply. Opportunity and use of it. political
opening and a political move to take advantage OF
it. All very nice.
The course taken by the administration Ia regard
TO the colectorshp is exactly that which the editor
Of the Star.Bulletin learned in Washington last
printed here on October 90. In that letter it was
stated:
1t is no secret that this is to- be political plum
The revenue appointment ought to be forthcoming
shortly. That the appointee will be from state
whose politics are Of concern to the Administration
is an obvious conclusion.
AS to the relationship between this appointment
and the national Democratic party's plans for the
next presidential campaign, that will be discussed
by the Star Bulletin later. Suffice it now to say
that the handling Of the service patronage
is part of national political scheme. In this big
scheme Hawaii is considered only in so far as Ha
wall offers opportunity for political exploitation.
federal lob in Hawaii is not considered from the
standpoint of the responsibility, honor and oppor
tunity for efficient work which it offers, but from
the standpoint of how it may be used as a catspaw
for Democratic chestnut-pulling.
q From this misuse OF public Office here, Hawaii
has no recourse. The factional rows in the local
Democratic party and the unworthiness of many
of the candidates it has put forward, minimize the
force of any protest which might be made to Wash
ington on the part Of a disguised community
The Star. Bulletin knows nothing personally of
Col Hathaway. He may be a fine fellow, good
citizen, capable lawyer, and he may make an
efficient collector of revenue. The point Is that the
Job went primarily not to candidate of recognized
merit but to state Of recognized political pull
and that Hawaii is used again and again to pay
mainland political debts. .>..~
The payment of some of these debts has brought to
Hawaii mainlanders so likable personally and so
well able to look after their Office that we hesitate
to refer to them as carpet-baggers." We don't like
to put them in that class But others have been in
that class and the administration, while preaching
states rights and homerule, practises carpetbag
ging upon territory to extent that is indefensi
bly, outrageous.