The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-06-30
A NEEDED INSTITUTION.


rising generation of Hawaii might
very properly be initiated would be
debating institutes. Such institutes
are pretty widely diffused over the
American continent. A large portion
Of their time is naturally taken up
in discussing points of order. A
few years attendance at one of these
institutes generally qualities their
members for taking part in deliber-
ative assemblies in earnest. The
results are visible when they are
elected members of such bodies.
They proceed with the transaction
Of business. "Points of order"
are few and far between, and when
they do arise, are summarily dis
posed of. One feature of such in
stitutes that especially commends
them to the careful consideration of
the public is their being compare
lively inexpensive. The boys in
other countries are only too glad of
the opportunity to air their elo-
quence, free of cost to anyone, and
no doubt, they would be equally so
in this kingdom. They take their
pay all out in the fun of it. Points
of order can thus be discussed at
pleasure in free and inexpensive
meetings of juveniles, and the neces-
sity for a Legislative Assembly,
which is very expensive body being
held three months in the year,
largely for the same purpose, is
obviated. If such institutes were
in full blast in the Hawaiian Islands,
1t would be unnecessary for the legis-
lature to devote large proportion
of valuable time to points of order
OF course, it is very important that
the nation be fully and authorita-
lively informed on the rules of order
that prevail in deliberative assem-
blies. Although political and town
meetings have not yet been intro
duced as indispensable factors in
the social life of the kingdom, no
one can predict how soon they may
be. And it would be an unbearable
calamity if the occasion for rules of
order should arise in any of the
hamlets of the kingdom without the
people being in possession of full
series of acts of the Legislative
Assembly, passed, at the rate of
about ten decisions per day, for
three months, prescribing specifically
what is and what is not in order.
Order is natures first law, and what
is in order ought to be known, with
out regard to time or expense. While
there are no institutes in which the
boys of the kingdom can take charge
of points of order, it is very essen
tial to the best interests of the peo
pie that these questions be fully
debated somewhere, and there is M
place in which they can he debated
with more dignity than where tn
Mobiles and Representatives are me
in biennial session. The advantage
which the country would derive from
Institutes of the kind referred t,
could scarcely be expected to appea
during the present decade, but afte
the lapse of say ten years, honorabl
members of the Legislative Assem-
bly, might meet for the transactio
of public business, the points @
order having been duly disposed c
in the more humble conventicles G
their respective districts. A preser
advantage however, would be tha
the House might let up on these di'
cussions until after the boys ha
done with them. As the debate
went on from week to week in tn
several districts, representative
conld be furnished with minutes
tle proceedings, and thus be full
stocked with "precedents'lsfor ever
emergency. Nothing is more nece
sary to parliamentarian than to |
thoroughly versed in the subject {
''order;" and hence the important
OF members waving the conside
alton of tax bills, public improv,
ments, Lanai Investigations and a
other matters until points of ordt
are fully and clearly discussed ,
tho complete edifcation of ever