The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-04
GOOD. BUT NOT FOR US.

mute subdivision of 3official duties has
much to commend it in big and we'll
populated towns; and 1t is delightful to
have the utilities which the wise ex-
penditure of large sums of public
money can provide. Who can help be-
ing officially pleased at our correspon-
dents picture of municipal Boston?
Passing lightly away from the story of
hordes of office-holders there, she tells |
of free open air Thomas concerts, I
public baths, free lecture courses and I
library which contains not only much |
that is noble and beautiful in art but /
is in itself a building where detail of |
window, arch and fresco, represent
modern artists at their best" Then
there is Vienna, which has improved
the Danube from dozen channels
running between partially submerged
islands to a straight new channel
bringing the river much nearer the
city, with proper depth and definite
banks, making convenient transfer for
the two hundred steamers and eight
hundred barges of the Danube Steam
Navigation Company" And look at
what municipal government has done
for Paris.
To her magnificent sanitary system,
her Department of Public Works, her un-
ri' led school system, any city In any
stage of its career may turn for inspira-
ton. The great triumph of the Paris
SANITARY system, in ADDITION to the Won
derful sewer system, is the fact that the
city Is thoroughly cleaned every day. All
garbage, waste, detritus, is collected and
carried out OF the city every morning be-
fore $50 o'clock. Between and $50 the
entire paying of the city, including side
walks, cutters, open squares, alleys and
courts and roadways. has been swept by
machine and hand, and much of it has
been scrubbed and disinfected. In her
DEPARTMENT of Public Works there are
trained men for parks, street and build
ing inspectiCn-men who know the value
to great city of broad, beautiful streets,
beautiful parks and beautiful architect
ure. 1t has been complained that the
building regulations of Paris are too Sc
we're, but these have made modern Paris
eautiful The medieval town was lab
yrinthine tangle of narrow, dark and
foul passageways and alleys. The mod
err spirit has thrown the walls into
noats, to make bouevards and open
specs, has laid down broad and system
attic thoroughfares upon the tangle of
haphazard passages, has provided illumi-
nation, drainage, transit, and given those
appointments and conveniences which dis
til guish the well-ordered city of our day
frcm the formless old-time city. In this
/ brilliant nineteenth century task of re-
constructing cities in their physical char
acters, endeavoring TO give the visible
form to the outward body which should
hest accommodate the expanding life
within, Paris has been the unrivalled
leader.
I In her school system the principle has
been laid down that the greatest interest
Of t,a mob Dor tn In ha l.
zen of France. 1t then becomes of prime
Importance to guard against physical de-
generation in is youth, as physical de-
generation Is the natural forer inner OF
moral degeneracy. To this end there are
incorporated In her school system, souI
Kitchens, baths. inspecting corps of ply
sic.ans postal savings banks and a series
of ecoles In all branches of knowledge
This Is the source of the French product
Whether this be French china, Frenct
percale, French millinery. Lyons silks
the masterpiece of de Maupassant or 6
Millet. 1t is apt to be the best of its kind
and has been achieved not by any con
dition of chance but by the best training
the municipality can provide.
All this Is fine: 1t is, in truth mag
nificent-but it does not precisely reach
, the core of the Honolulu situation, MOI
!, the Hilo situation, nor any other situa.
ton in these Islands. Here We have
few small white communities which
!. are congested with races alien to the
American idea, races that know moth
ing about municipal reforms and care
less-the one element having a major
ity of votes processing to regard gov
eminent of any kind as thing t.
make salaried places for its friends
not as an instrument of public good
; The small bands of white politicians
who presume to direct parties, take tn
same view. Outside of these classes
and owing seven-tenths of the proper
ty, are white men who are Statistic,
with the efficient and economical gov
u eminent the Islands have now an,
= think 1t better to make public improve
ments slowly, as they can pay 70
them, rather than to undertake sue
things all at once and run the risk o
y having the necessary funds raided b.
= the tax eaters. These people are no
v old-fogies or slurians. They want tn
e Islands to grow in population an
lie wealth. but they know that If thes
l. fine municipal plans are adopted take
- viii mount to so high a level tina
" white immigration will halt Tru
many American cities Increase take
:. without pausing in the path of prog
- ress but that is because momentum
or the influence of railroads or mines O
something of the Sort carries them OF
" Besides, living is so cheap in mos
&c Mainland cities and the assessabl
:. property so vast in extent and VARIETY
~ that taxes are not felt as they woul
i be here where taxpayers are few an
ie every article of merchandise and uti
u ity is high in price. Put up taxes /
II Honolulu and Hilo and rents mu:
a, rise; the price of everything sold !
~ rented stores must increase; and bt
II fore long 1t will be so that an incon
y that would provide abundantly for
&c family in the States could not mai
AZ strap and buckle meet In Hawaii.
" Common sense teaches that the e,
penses of living should be kept dow
here If we want to get new and pc
nanent settlers; and that, as count
&C municipal, township and village o
- ganization would mean an increase
&c such expenses it would be better
nc delay the change until the tax-payir
y population is large enough to make Il