The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-01-14

Reform party has consistently and per
sistently, without exception, pursued a
steady course of decentralization
a. 1t has de-centralized the abscsF.
irresponsible power heretofore hen ~
the King, by taking away from him the
power to make football of the Cabinet
for his personal pleasure, and by cons.i-
tutional provision prevented him from
putting out the Cabinet except upon a
vote OF "Want of Confidence by the
Legislature.
The control of the Cabinet has been
transferred from the one to the many;
from the King to the elected representa-
tives of the people.
The change is distinctly de-centraliza-
ton from personal, irresponsible des-
potism, to Liberal Representative Gov
eminent.
(2.j The King still signs the commits
sion of the chief executive officers, but, by
the terms of the Constitution he is bound
to appoint those whom his constitutional
advisers recommend to him.
Thus the personal power which was
held by one man, declared by the Con-
stitution to be irresponsible, has been
decentraliEed by taking it from him and
placing it in the hands OF those who are
directly responsible to the people
through the Legislature.
The appointment of the subordinate
officers has been wholly transferred e
the several heads of departments VIII
it belonged.
The Governors have been abolished,
and their duties transferred to others.
This is sometimes cited as an act of
GENERALIZATION. 1t is the exact con-
trary. The powers and duties then held
by one man have been transferred to
three or four others, without increasing
their pay, thereby at once de-centraliz-
ing power and saving money.
80 The Privy Council Star Chamber
has been practically wiped out, and so
thoroughly de-centralized and tied up
that its powers for evil, except in mega
tive way, are reduced to a minimum.
A mistake that the Reform party
made was in not abolishing the body
altogether.
a. The country has to thank the Re-
form party for the radical change which
it has wrought in the complexion of the
Legislature.
Even il the Re-actionary party should
gain control hereafter, the Legislature
can never become the sink of iniquity
that it was when a majority of its
members were appointees of the
Crown, and a majority of the repre-
sentatives consisted of subservient Office
holders ever mindful of benefits received
and with lively sense of favors vet to
come.
By constitutional provision the Reform
party has forever shut out all persons
holding either positions of trust or profit
under the Government, and all con-
tractors with the Government, from.
either holding seat in the Legislator
or being eligible to appointment to an
Office for two years after his election,
whether he resigns his seat or not.
The Cabinet hereafter will have to
stand on reason, logic and merit, .
and not by virtue of the hired :
support of ofice-holders. The power
has been de-centralized from the Cab
met to the Legislature, and it will never
return while the Reform party controls.
81 The Reform party has so changed
the naturalization law that any respecta-
BILE foreigner who declares his intention
OF becoming permanent resident, who
has resided here for two years, has the
right to become citizen, without ask
ing the consent of any one.
The narrowminded policy Of exclu-
sion and the power of one man to reject
another from the rights of citizenship
has been de-centralized to such an ex-
tent that it is swept away altogether,
and the civilized foreigner who wishes
to make this his home is welcomed
without restriction.
(6.) The late Mr.. Gibson announcedto
the Legislature upon several occasions,
With great apparent satisfaction, that
''the King constituted more than one
half of the Legislature"
1t was true. but thanks tn the Refornn
party, it is no longer true.
The people elect the House of Mobiles, 4
and the people constitute the whole Of
the Legislature.
The Reform party has proved itself
the Party of Decentralization, Of liberty,
of the people, against absol1tism, in
favor Of popular control, of making the
Government the servant and no. the
master of the people.
If you want this status and this tend