Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 25, 17 October 1894 — Fits the Hawanan Republic. [ARTICLE]

Fits the Hawanan Republic.

• *r r ? - . Kecent confeftsinns of gr<*enpo.«sjn€:a »o Npw Tork «howinp Low re iddy «nd ea’»i!y tb/y secured tbe co-op-r«t;o«, in tteir t,-vil detds. not only vf high poliee officid* &nd chit-f detectives, bat :tiso of p«’st office cierks, tele-gr.-tph oper:iWrs btnk messeager »nd so oa, h»ve elicite<l ra>«ny e m«oents of borror »»nd »maz<*raent tlmt sacbgeneral corrnption sh«»n d discover itself. Appart utly prison gnda»tes, notorioas enminal», the mnst hardenc«l mftlefactors, b«d no consi<h rable «lifficolty ia working tlieir victiros. so long as they divided the proceeds in reaso , <iiblc proportions with tbose officialsaud their sob«'r<iiiiates whose active assistanee or mere connivance was essential to the gnme. The eommanil)" should not be sarprised at tbe portentoas eitent io whieh corruption prevails among public servants. when the fact is kept in the mind th.it the pnuishment of offenders of the sort nmler notice is so rare that its nc*nality is a matter of grave «h<ubt. I)ismissal from office,

ofteu roerely t»*raporary suspension, \vou!d seem to be tbe only penalty pnt upon bribery, sliar ing in the division of stolen g.iods, effecting the escape of cri raiiials aiid siinilar offenses of whieh several New York poliee for eiample, Lavo beeu eonvicted No thongbt, apparent ly, is given to the fit punisbraent of these malef ctors in high placcs. >or does the law seem nble to pluek these nniformed and organiZed blackmailers of their fraudulent gains. or to eoinpel them to disgorge ihe prococds of their crimes for the benefit ot iheir help'ess victims or of tiie Stato. On the contrary,tbey one and all got scot free, eveu of the sligbtest penali}'; for the Ioss of ofticial positiou and of reputation cannct bo regarded as a penalty iu the caso of men wbo stooped to snch basoand persistent crimes as lbose proved against the naen in referonce. So long as tbey

may retain posse8siou of tUe uneleaii fgrtunes tbey Uave acbieved by some of tlie worst practices in tlie crimiunl category, th«y laugh nt tlie verdicts of Lexow Comuiittees and Poliee Boards.

‘ They’ve got tlie ctuff,” to ise their own jargon, aud in tbeir eyes nad tbe eyes of tbeir associates nnd of a large e'emout in tlio commnnity as woll, tbat is j>ractical vindication.

Aod tbat is tbe sentiment, alasl tbat regulates tbo comraanity’s treatraont of all evil Jo rs in bigb places. A t*rrific outcry follows tbe first discovery of tbe rank corr«ption of poliee eapUina poIiticul bosses, 8tate legislators, r.tilroad directors, Uoited States Senators; then may follow an investigatiou or trial tbat, in ex ceptional cases, results in tbe resignation or distuissal of tbe malefactor. Bnt tbere the matter ends. Tbe knave keeps bis loot and plnndera and trusts to tho glatuour of bis wealtb to tbrow the stain of bis crimecompletely in tbe sbade. *'We’ve g >t tbo stnft'” tbe rogues ehnekle and it is nu unfortunale trutb tbat tbe eommuoiU’ ecboes tbe exaitation iu toues of eomplaeeucy if not of commendatiou.— III. Amtrican.