The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-11-23
TIE PACIFIC
OmmlcrralAOOertlstr
SATERDAY. NOVEMBER %.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
" His Honor, the Mayor" and the " Beard Of
Aldermen Of the City of Honolulu. 1t sounds
well, but i such an organization yet necessary
Tor our comfort and safety? Are we ready to
? . pay for the whistle - 1t is possible that there
are some things that could be better managed by
a municipal, than by our present form of govern
ment, always promising that the bill Of expense
l. left out Of the account. Ii is possible also
that a great many things would be managed
worse under u changing government-conhicting
at times with the general government. The
writer in the Gazette thinks our opposition to
present action on the score Of e1pensiveness is
il-considered- He sees no necessity for costly
% apPendages and officials" and says nine
tcnths Of the number 8 required in the govern
ment Of a large city might be entirely dispensed
with here" Perhaps they might, but would
they? We doubt it very much. Should we
be free from the agitations and excitements
Of the annual elections for the city officers? The
primaries, caucuses, rings, bribery, and wire
pulling-what about them? These things are
inevitable, ari how shall we control them?
The said writer has served an apprenticeship of
several years in a municipal corporation, and
claims that it entities him to speak with conf
dence IN the matter. The municipality in which
he served his apprenticeship embraced a popula-
ton Of 1900, and :he annual amount paid in
salaries was $3.50. Honolulu has a population
Of 10000. BY the writer's scale of salaries, we
should be called on to pay about $500, say 7
cents per capita. Does he suppose this sum
would support the necessary police system, in
spectOr of streets, and other requisite officers,
who will have to be paid? We stated it as our
opinion that the city taxation would be double
or treble the amount Of the national taxation we
are now paying. The writer affects to have very
strong doubts on this head, and : : awaits proof
for its removal" The corporation would have
to provide for the cleaning, repairs and lighting
OF the streets, keeping in order the public build
Ings owned by it, the apparatus and matters
connected with the Fire Department, and the
numerous items of incidental expenses which are
unavoidable, and where will they get the money?
Fines and licenses would go but a small way in
making up the amount necessary, and what is
the inevitable recourse? Taxation, of course,
and If the Gazette writer has very strong
doubt . on the point, the public has not. In
creased taxation means higher prices, higher
rents, higher cost of living, higher everything
the one involves the other, and does our neigh
Dor, in his zeal and ardor to enlighten and
educate public opinion expect that the COM
munity will not look at these facts in their
proper light and bearing? We all desire to see
our delightful city :" benefited and b~eautifed -
but the question of cost we are not wise to over
look, or rate too low.
Taking our circumstances into careful consi-
deration, we do not think the adoption of a CITY
Government would be advisable at present.
Affairs are managed at the present time with
due regard to the public welfare. We have
active business men in the positions of Ministers,
and particularly in that of the Interior Depart
ment, under whom everything connected with
the proper regulation of the city is conducted in
a wise and thorough manner, quite as wisely
and thoroughly as n City Government. with a
score of municipal officers could do. And it must
be remembered that the entire expense is borne
by the National Treasury.
Those who are so anxious for a City Govern
ment should notice the difference that has taken
place in the last few months in the administra-
ton of affairs connected with the city. The
streets are being cleaned and repaired
repaired, and all the old distractions
new storehousesa and bridges completed;
delinquent licenses are being collected, and new
ones required to be taken out. In short, the
rust is being cleaned off the machinery, and it is
now beginning to run smoothly, and without jar
or noise. We do not hesitate to assert that,
under the present system, our municipal affairs
are managed as discreetly and efficiently as would
be possible under any form of City Government
could be Deutschland far more econo-
micallY.