Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 157, 25 Malaki 1891 — Da Locum Melioribus. [ARTICLE]

Da Locum Melioribus.

Weare no believers in the ,Tackspnian doetrine that "to the victor be!ong the spoils," as applied to the administration of government, but we do believe that where tliere is no established system of appointment to the civīl service of the government, it is the right and duty of a new administration to weed out the tools, svcophants and incompetents of a previous regime and replace them with propcr inen. Such removals and &pgrnntmerits should not be based upeti person:tl spites or prejudioes. L>i»t partly in deference to-4lie wishes of tiie prevailing political~party andmniniv for the harmonions and eflieient adimnistraticn cf the puhiie service. Such a duty is now inou:iibcnt upon the present C«ibinet, anei \ve aru,surprise<l that th<y luwe not more promptly r'ros;nized what is required of tbeni. There still remains in government sorvice a fe\v tiien who are utterly offeiv sive to t'ne people at large ar.d are uniit for their pos;tion, and unless they are re»noved the Cabinet will find they are fostering a hornets nest that will buzz uneomfortably for theni nt?xt February. There is one individual in particular holding high oflice, who entered serviee under tbe Gibson regime and has made himself obnoxious to all parties by his personal and political tergiversations. It will be regarded as a gratuitous insult to the national • Reform Party , after being practically censnred by a vote of the Legislature if this is retair»ed, it was and is a party meassecure his removal. His arbitemdismissal of young llawaiiabs from office will nōt be forgiven him.' '

It is not aiso in accord with our party idea, nor ineīeeei *is it proppr or fit that the son of tbe }>ritis* Commissioner should fiii -the responsil)le position of clerk of the Postal Savings Bank. He has not takc:i the Hawaiian oath of allegiance, owe 110 feaity to this government, and is irresponsiblē for his acts. But we will not go further into personalities; we believe that the Prenaier has intendeci tp iueet the wishes of the people in this matter; but bas met with adverse inAuenee in the Cabinet. We are informed that they are waiting for the return of tbe MiniBter of Finance, but we fail to see any necessity for this. The Cabinet as.it exists, with the Premier acting as Finance Minister "ad interim" is fully coinpetent to deal with administrative affairs with out waiting for absentees, and we trust the Premier will. have the eourage to recognize and aeeomplieh his duties in the premises. \Ve have already announced our support of the Pr«mier and his cabinet, reserving ehe right to condemn any dereiiction of duty. The question of the removal of obnoxious and unfit ofScials is a seriouB one that the cabinet cannot afFord to trifle with, and the measure of our support will be guided s«mewhat by the actien of the Mmisters ia this matter.