Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 34, 19 August 1893 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

The «Piioinlmenl of Mr. Aiex- > jtui» r H >bert«on to be I>istrict Mag>tr*te for Honolulu durir.g the *b««nce of Judge Foeter, hae to iij tbo iea*t, creatcd ooneiderablt rur|irioe m this couirnunitv. ard tnore oepec:*lljr in lbe bu«ine*a c:r * elee. In rtdecling on thie 2stest fe»t of the prorieiooal gorernn:fntwe wiilli it dielinct!y undersl«>od tnat neitber the HoLoMI'a. nor Ihe pohlie view tbe young gentieman who hae been oe!ected lo fi;l thf very iniportant position as l’oliee Judge except with the greate»t eoneiderati<>n and appr*>val, ae f<*r ae hia pereonaiity i» concerned. Mr. Koberte<>n ie a favorably known young man, who enjoya a welt-earn->d p<>pularily among hie fellowcitiiene, but we do not brlieve that be yet haa pmven bimcelf eapahle or euilahle to hold an office whieh beeidee mueh )egal training demande an uneommon amount of know le«lge of hueineee routine,prac tical eenee, and a well matur*-d mind. Tbe j*oeiii>>n of District MagiMrate in Honolulu i» generally admitted to be §econd in importanee only lo the J*idg*-s <>f the Su1 reme Heneh, and il has hereb»fore Bt* a rule heen fi!Ied by men of great practical exjierience in the luneliune of law and juetice. Mr U>*bertson a tew yeHrsng>* was aclirt in a etore in Honoluiu. He Ieft j>rivate vmployment to enter th( g>*vernment »ervice as clerk in th< Kmanee Oftice. and he reeignec that |*oeiti<>n about three yean «go, when he w« nt to the Stutes for . llie purposeol etudying law. Hehai: returned but a »h'>rt time t<> hie na» tive counlry, and we do not doubt that he 1ihs used hie time well, auu hns been an industrious »nd c.«refu' acholi<r at tlie law eehool whenhe cntered as a student. But is it I>of8:ble, «e aak. that a three ye;trs’ vibit t<> a law schnol is cor.sidcred 8ufficient te enahle a young man t<> lilla |wisiti<>n as Poliee Mrgistrate ie Honolulu t<> the sutisfaction <>f th< t.tx payer»? We elaim nol decid edly not! Mr. R>berts<>n hos no'. . smco his return to Hawaii fumish cd any proofs t> the bar <>r lo th< cotmuunity lhat he is in poewninp of ihe qualities n**cess *ry h*fill lh<' high jK>sition with whieh he ha;> l.xvii entrust*’d. He has had n< 1 opportunity lo apj)ear »s an attor ney in any of our courta. He han nol gone through tlie li>rmolity of enterii;g the »ffice of any attorney known here f»r the purpose ol learning the routine of liawaiian law practice. Hesimply returncd. prr»ented a certificate, we auppoee, j t«etifying to hie graduating from Ihe Yale law eehool, aud immedi ately Mr. \V. O. Smith pitchf»rks him inlo a poeition whieh gives the mo«t unhmit<d j>ower into h:s h«nds. We believe Uiut thr cotomunity should prote»t <>i>enly and vig.*rou»ly ag imst this latest oulrage oommiited by the iueompelenl and iujudidoue men wl»o, tod.*y are ueurping the reiue of the Huwaiian g>)vernment. We believe tbat it is nglit for tbe Chamber ol Commercv to eall a meeting, and ( euter a aolemn pr<>teet againat the . app»intniei>t <>f this young pn>Ug’’ of Mr. W. O. Smith. TbecriminaJ cae* e whieh will oome bef«re tbe District Magietruteof Honolulu are I ali right In eueh eaaee he «its as an examining magietrate, and all tbe peopie bn>u|ht befure hiui 10 gvthvr wilh tbeir atlorik-y« ful!y ! exprct Ihal their eaeee wiii finaliy bv eeUleei befi*re a jury of Ihe ooanuy, bct it ia ihe numenme einl auita whieh have U> be decided by j Ihe DietrictMagistrateof Honoiulu j whieh we bave in <mr mind, and whieh are of a great deal w«re pnelkal iroportance to tbe heiaiI)VM oonmuuity. A very gnwt , numbcr of awumpni euits are eoo tUctiy brou#ht befbre tbe Dialriot; UanaUakeL Tbe am<mn«s «• «\ ru)e are oamparwtirelr emall bot. a _ _? * ’ "v. oepabUity of Ihe »«gi«tra(i> NUm ; J I L. ; iwWW oi m |

' — ■ « appointroent of Mr. R'herle>n even roore .)bjcct:onible hy statiog th*t altboagh be is tbe br«tber to tbe Queeo’8 Chamb*Tlain. be never- j theiess ie a elauoeh annexationist. That is truly rich and it pUioiy •«howe tbal the P. G. even nsee the r *fficee nu<ler the Judiciary Dvp*rt rovnt f».r the fortherance of theīr polilieal eud«. It is h*ghly s.\tis f*ctory for the Uxpvyers to koo» that Mr. K-'bertson h»s beea nlaee»d ia h:« :mporUnt pos«ition, beeauee *be is an annexjtlonist ’ It is , rs<*re espect.iliy highly intereating and impnrtaiit to hie polilieal opponents to be made aware of snch » fjct. and to know the fate «hieh awaile thero if prcv dence and W. O. Smith. (what a eomhinalionl) sh >uid bring them m the dock bef >re th:s p»litical Judg j . Tbe gnveniroent bas been very busy einee the day on whieh Mr. Steveos called them ii*to ex;slence l<> devi»e meana by whieh lhey couid eommil polilieal suicide an<l cov*-r lhemseives with tbc hatred and odium of the people. Tampering with the punty of the Bench and the selection of men to serve aa j<idg-*s on aeemuil <>f their poiilieil »ffiliations is the climax and it is ab<)ut time f*r lhec»untry to pr<*test and make Mr. D*Je and his sev**nteen supporters heeome iraclica!ly aware of sjch unaniinoue and unconditional protest.