The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-11-22
ELECTION OF CHEF OFFICERS.

There was difference OF opinion |
at the last meeting of the Mechanics
Union as to whether the "chef Off !
GERS of the Government proposed |
to be made elective included the |
Supreme Judiciary and the Cabinet
Ministers. These divisions of the
question have already been discuss
ed in this journal. Practical unan-
unity seemed to exist in the meeting
on the proposal that heads of sub
ordinate bureaus and of branches
of the public service should be elect
ed by the people.
While believing that the allot-
ment of control of affairs should be
more largely distributed, we doubt
whether the election of the Marshal,
and Postmaster-G eneral, and Sher-
ifs, and Collector Of Customs, and
the rest, is the means best adapted
for gaining that benefit. 1t is not
stated what term of Office is to be
given the elected officials, but pre-
sumably this is intended to CORE
spond with the biennial duration Of
the Legislature. That would mean
that if the people make q mistake
and choose poor tool for any of
these important offices, he is bound
to stick rs an inefficient and bung-
ling nuisance for two weary years
and, on the other hand, that if he is
a model official who gives satistac-
ton TO the public he must neverthe-
less, in the event of change in the
political views Of the country, give
place at the end of the short period
of two years to somebody in accord
with the newly predominant party.
To apply the test given in a previ-
Gus article, it should be asked of
the Union what, benefits to the me-
chanics and workingmen are e1-
pected to accrue from having the
whole service of the country upset
with every change of party in
power. Is the greatest good to the
| greatest number to be subserved by
making the possession of the offices
one of the leading issues in national
| politics?
For officers having jurisdiction
over the whole kingdom, such as
Marshal, Postmaster-General, and
Superintendent Of Public Works,
the electorate of the whole kingdom
| would have to vote, and we do not
believe that an intelligent judgment
as to the most suitable candidates
could be obtained from so large 4
constituency. Thousands would be
asked to deposit their ballots for
men Of whose qualifications they
could only learn by hearsay, and as
MANY who would not understand
what the qualifications for such
offices were.
| There is Il principle underlying
the proposed plank, however, upon
which desirable measures may be
founded. The line in which we
should like to see action taken is in
the direction of some. sort OF town.
ship or municipal control of local af-
fairs. There need not be municipal
corporations created in villages OF
districts to establish system of thi;
sort-no necessity for mayors and
councils to assess or appropriate
money and conduct public works
But in the appointment of Govern
ment officers for conducting differ
ent branches of the public service
in the several districts, we see M
reason why the people whose par
ticular interests are TO be served
should not have 4 controlling voice
The local assessor, collector, police
: postmaster, members ofroad boards
ETC., might be elected with advan
tage either at the district polls o
in public meetings-subject, per
haps, to confirmation which SHOULD
: be obligatory upon the Government
except for cause shown to the salts
l faction Of court of record. !
great deal might be written in sup
port of the foregoing views, but 70
: the present occasion we submit
! what has been said as our sent
4 ments in outline. 1t is not i
F, spirit Of antagonism to tn
a purposes of the Union, which a
$ stated in its original plan of organ
e ization we admire, that We hav
4 criticised portion of its platform
Our object has been simply TO al
C the Union in discussing that docI