The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-08-29
LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT.
HILO ASKS THE COMMISSION FOR
IT.
Speech Noicing the Desires of the
Rainy City People on the Subject by
c. \. Galbraith.

At the Hilo mass meeting to hear
the commissioners held last Wednes-
day night, at Spreckels hall, c. A. Gal
braith in voicing the sentiments of
the people of Hilo, made the follow
ing address:
l 40 not think that the people of
this community have any feeling
against or would say word deroga-
tory to the character of the officials
who have administered the govern
ment of the Hawaiian Islands during
the past five years. We know they
are all gentlemen of learning and in
tegrity, gentlemen who would take a
nigh position in any community, but
1t is the system of government, the
theory upon which it is founded and
administered to which we object. This
government, and its ministers and its
councils of state, is not Republican in
theory or practice. 1t does not com
mend itself to American citizens and
is unsuited to American territory. The
theory of the government seems to
have been to centralize everything at
the capital island. to make one politi-
cal and financial center at the expense
of everything else, to centralize every
function of government at the capt.
tai, and to there confine the power
within the hands of the least possible
number of persons. The people of
this community believe that they are
better qualified to establish the grades
on their streets and superintend the
construction of sideswalks than the
minister of the interior, or any other
person living two hundred and fifty
miles away.
The only banking houses on the Is
lands are located at the capital, and
it seems to have been the intention to
prohibit banking institutions at any
other place, for we find provision In
the statute requiring any company
before establishing a bank to have
S25O,OO0 capital, rs per cent subscrib-
ed and 80 per cent paid up.
We are required to send every deed
and instrument to be recorded to
Honolulu. We do not think this is
fair or right. We believe the people
OF TINS island are capable of self gov
eminent. We understand the consti-
tuition of the United States guaran-
tees every state republican form of
government, and we know that the
United States Congress has given all
its territories the same form of gov
eminent that assures to each commu-
nifty in the territory the management
and control of their own local af-
fairs. We ask that the same privilege
be extended to us. We ask that the
people who pay the taxes for local i'm
provements shall have the superin
tendence of their expenditure. The
men in Iiilo who are taxed to con-
struct a system of waterworks for
Honolulu and furnish free garbage
service for its citizens think they have
a Kick coming, and | agree with them.
We thank you, gentlemen of the
commission, for the kind expressions
you have delivered in our hearing this
evening, and assure you that we be-
lieve the people of the Hawaiian Is
lands are capable of local self gov
eminent; and we ask that YOU recon-
mend in your report that these Is
lands be given the same form of gov
eminent that has been given the 9th
err territories in the United Stares,
with any notifications you gentlemen
may think necessary to meet anv
special conditions that may exist here.