The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-19
A WISE GOVERNOR.

The striking difference between the
administration of affairs in the hands
OF an educated soldier rather than in
the hands Of a politician is seen in the
recent order of General Davis, the
commanding general in Porto Rico in
which he says to the people that:
He viii be pleased to receive sug-
gestiCns from all who may feel dis
posed to submit the same, relating to
better methods of administration, the
system of levying and collecting taxes,
wise retrenchments in municipal and
insuiar expenditures, improvements in
the Jail system, elections of alcaldes,
town councils, and municipal boards,
changes which may be found desirable
in the judicial system, or which may
tend to simplify and expedite the adj
ADMINISTRATION of justice, reduction and
consolidation, if practicable, of NUM-
cipalities, development of the school
system, improvements in the law relat-
ing to marriage and divorce, and sug-
gestions relating to public morals, the
regulation of the liquor traffic, legal
restraints upon Sunday work and
amusements, such as exist in most of
the states of the Union, the suppress
sion of prostitution and of the sale
of obscene literature, and all kindred
subjects of public concern.
Mere criticism of existing evils will
not be of value unless accompanied
by specific suggestions as to the best
practicable remedy
1t would be delightful indeed to call
this plan the American PLAN of
governing a conquered Or weaker race.
During the hundred years we have I'M
dertaken to govern the poor Indian,
the politicians have refused with in
dignAtion to lower themselves to the
level adopted by Gen. Davis. While
the friends of the Indian insisted that
there would be no Indian wars if the
military men were placed in control,
the politicians, and the professional
Fourth of July orators insisted that 1T
was American if the spOils were
not properly divided, and that the most
disagreeable and cantankerOus man to
deal with was an army officer who
would not take care of the boys"
The politicians and the average
Fourth of July orators feel that the
placing of military men in civil offices
is long step towards converting the
Republic into a despotiSm; that it is
sitting the air of freedom which is
kept in it's purest state by an invigor-
.ating oxygen, which is generated
through the division of offices accord
ing to pulls"
But it will be the sad fate OF the
American people to foolishly insist or
by competent men who are deficient IL
the gift of making pulls.
The military rulers often lack
worldly wisdom, which comes from the
friction of business life, so that the!
are by no means ideal statesmen. Blu
they are not corrupt, and are not under
obligations to corrupt men.
The British nation alone prepare:
men in the Civil service for the admin
istration of government in foreign
lands America has not needed in tn
past this class OF men, because tn
theory of government by democrat.
has not permitted it. The extension
of government over people incompe
aent to rule themselves now demand
this order of men, and rule by militar
men lis merely q stepping stone TO rul
by trained civilians.