The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-06-06
LAHAINA.

A serious defect in our territorial
system of Government, defect inner
tied from the monarchy and from the
Republic, is the absence of local rule
And there is no better illustration Oi
this than the condition Of the town
Of Lahaina. II is in a most attractive
location on the leeward side of the Isl
and, and extends for a long distance
along the ocean beach. by the side of
this beach runs a street for the dis
lance Of fully half mile. and it Is
protected in some places from the ac-
ton Of the surf by a parapet, or stone
wall. The appearance of the town Is
repulsive, because il is dirty and bad
ly groomed" The sidewalks are mar
row and unpayed. The Asiatics fill
the place and fix its character. The
labor of the people who live in the
place and in the neighborhood pro-
duces vast amount of wealth which
goes out untaxed for local government
The same amount Of earning. distrib.
uted in any town OF the United Stats
among independent proprietors, would
create a most attractive village. Con-
centrated industry makes the place a
dirty hole. The earnings of the plan
tation, distributed evenly among the
nAnnln usnt,lI lao In ..Ffa 4
to beautify the place. The population
numbers about $500. which is quite
large enough to claim the rights Of a
township, If the question Of nationality
Is avoided.
For these $500 people, more or less
the water supply is utterly Inadequate
A small expenditure would supply il IL
quantity. The place does not appear
to have any friends in court. The in.
terror Department does not seem "a
care for il. The plantation is under
no legal obligation TO provide for IL
The natives and Asiatics do not know
how to make themselves felt in tbs
Executive building. The cry for waite
is driven out To sea when il tries Il
cross the channel to Honolulu. TN
department provides. in way, for Ho
nolulu, because the comfort of tn
members of the Government is de
pendent upon good water supply
and there is pressure from the people.
Lahaina is concealed. and when "
wish to show the glory Of our ciyiliza
ton we keep the tourist away fror
that Japanese village
There is no local officer who plead
for sanitary improvements, and take
some pride in making the place al
tractive.
II was said in the convention whic
framed the Constitution OF HawaI
that 1t was wiser TO govern all the isl
ands by a centralized authority I
Honolulu than It was TO establish an
local self-goyernment. So IL was,
ihe local government Was elective
Bat IA Board Of Supervisors selected Il
each STAND by the Government an,
empowered TO provide for local need
would have been better than an In
terror Department that cannot ente
into the details Of the needs Of th
different places The dificultics which
are created by the presence Of alieI
races are no doubt serious, but a I
not necessary that they should "a
present determine who the local OH
oials should be-
The regulation of the local affair
Of the largo Island Of Hawaii boy uh,
Department of the interior uuuo
contiue Tor amy long period % Jha PEG
pie Increase .n numbers DrraUsn ad
ADMINISTRATION carried pu hy uN,ur u
aiding al q distance w. most unsaUs
factory lu strictly local anairs
" strictly local seli-Boyewmrnt h
not practicable me 'ess Ma ak ab0u
American civilization tbr Irss neon
J slsteul Ne shall be-