The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-06-13
CORRESPONDENCE.
Bury Royal Orders with the
Monarchy.

MR. EDITOR: In the discussion
which has been had over the proper
official title of the members of the
Cabinet, it would seem that the
proper conclusion has been reached,
if according to the common usage of
the English language the word
Minister, conveys more correctly the
idea of official responsibility, than
does the word Secretary. 1t is
official responsibility, as well as
official authority, that is by the new
Constitution distinctly conferred
upon the members of the Cabinet.
The new Constitution is modelled
more closely after the Eoglish type,
than after the American system, SO
far as regards the operation of the
Executive. In England, neither
people nor Parliament interfere with
the details of executive adminis-
tration. Parliament agrees upon
some fundamental policy, or rejects
it, as formulated by the executive.
In the q. S. Congress, measures are
worked out in detail by Committees,
while the Executive has comparative
ly no power to interfere in the ar
rangement of such detail; he can
only interpose his veto. His Secret
aries, too, are like himself, merely
officials to carry out the decisions of
Congress. Hence comes an element
of uncertainty, which IS also an
element of weakness. President
Cleveland undertook to have policy
of his own in Hawaiian Affairs, and
to carry it out in his own way. But
Congress has interposed It's author
ity, and Cleveland has given up all
thought of restoring the Queen.
So, again, with the q. s. Senate.
It las such division of responsibility,
that each Senator seeks only to
further the interests of the State he
represents; and so with the Repres
entatives. No duly authorized body
represents the nation as a whole, as
the President and the Cabinet ought
to do. But there is distinction
between legislation and administra-
ton. Administration must go on, as
it has done under the Provisional |
Government, with no break what |
ever, from the self deposition of the |
Queen and the substitution of a |
President as the Chief Executive of |
the Nation. So, too the English
Parliament has been discussing for
months the policy of Home Rule;
bit meanwhile administration goes
On, as undistiurbed as though 20
such radical change of policy as
Howe P,,lo 400 49, ,~ool;,,. Tot &ho |
President and his Cabinet be offici-
ally responsible for the general
policy adopted, and have all needed
to carry out measures of
administration in accordance there
With. Let them be Ministers of a
cabinet, not Secretaries of a Con-
yressional Committee.
But there is one further step in the
Erection of the true Democratic
principle of all representative gov
Abolish all merely hon.
rary titles, while retaining those
'urely official. Her Hawaiian
Iajesty" is defunct. Let us not
ave in place of it, rHis Exeellen-
y" but give us plain President
Dole. Let us not hear the Honor
bles So and So; but plain Senator
'rown and Representative Jones.
md is not this good time, also, to
bolish by law the Royal Orders
nat have gone into innocuous
esuetudee The Royal Orders of
-amehamehs, and Kspiolani, and
he Star of the Pacific, are IN re6us
ortuts. Let them be buried with all
ne honor, and in the new Republic
Hawai-, let true worth have SIM
" the measure of respect which il
and let royal favors be
'legated to the lumber room of the
asst. III.