The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-06-13
ECONOMY.

Economy, which should have been
the watchword of the House of Rep
resentatives, finds no place with the
ma jority of the members. 1t is in
this that they do not show that they
are the real radicals of the body poll
tie. They have piled the Pelion of eX-
travagance upon the Ossa of necessa-
ry expense, and really seem to con-
template another mountain could they
find one at hand. When the third !
reading of the general appro- |
pration bill comes there will have to
be very free use of the ,runing
knife, and many a hope which has
sprung up will be blighted. After the
economists of the House have got
through, those of the Senate will go
TO work, and the chances are, after
all, that ere the b1It reaches the
President, it may be reduced to pro-
portions that will bring it within the
current income of the country.
As was pointed out in these col
umns a few days ago, not only is an
appropriation in excess of the in
come of the country foolish, but it
puts a power into the hands of the
members of the Executive which they
should not have. AS long as the au-
thorized expenditures are within the
receipts the Executive is in the con-
troll of the legislative body; as soon
as the authorized expenditures are In
excess of the receipts, the Executive
obtains free hand to do what it likes
with large number of expenditures:
it has got out of control.
When such condition of affairs
obtains those who have pull with
the Executive will get what they
want, and those who have no pull will
be left in the cold. If the Executive
wishes to buy man or a district, it
can do so, by declaring that certain
work must be done, while it can pun
ish man or a district by stating
that though the Legislature appro-
rated the money, other and more
important work had to be done, and
as the authorized expenditure exceed
ed the income, and the executive was
the sole authority which could say
how the income should be spent, that
decision must be final, and what are
you going to do about it?
This is no fancy picture that is be-
ing drawn. The writer has seen the
working of similar bills in the past,
and knows how they have been used
The full vote of money has over and
over again been paid to obtain votes
or to gain popularity, and necessary
improyeinents have been put off for
another two years. The passing of
such bill in such a shape as the
present. appropriation JEbill stands
would be "a corruptiHg. influence up
on the Ministry. All untrammelled
power has a corrupting influence. AS
far as the characteristics of our En-
ecutive go we know them to be excel
lent, but no men should ever be plac-
ed in the position in which these men
will be placed if the bill is not amend
ed and pared down into some decent
shape.
1t is the House of Representatives
that should be the especial guardian
of the peoples interests. 1t is they
who are theoretically supposed to be
nearest in touch with them. The
money which is spent comes alike
from the self-denial of the poor, as it
comes from the superfluities of the
rich. 1t is the duty then of those
who are the representatives of the
mass, to see that the money is voted
in such way as to do the greatest
good to the mass. 1t should be mat
ter of conscience with the members
to do that duty, even if it prove I'M
popular. We cannot have all we
want; let us at least make certain
that we shall have some. A member
who can 60 back to his district and
say, | have asked for five things
which | know you will get, is a more
satisfactory member than one who
goes back and says, have secured q
dozen items in the bill, but which you
will get / cannot tell.