The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-07-31
THE MUNICIPAL QUESTION.

.
There IL no trouble, az our Kealla
correspondent shows, to make good
! argument In favor OF the principle
which undoflics the municipal idea In
/ theory this principle Is perfect but In
practice IL only works out Well where
constituencies are ripe for IT, An AM
I glo-Saxon country like England or
Celtic country like Scotland can make
a success OF local self-government
where countries occupied by other
races fail The Latins are kept more
or less under the ban Of their military
and even the Tcutonic races do not al
ways appear to advantage in the ex-
ercise of municipal functions on large
scale. In Berlin the lower classes have
so far gotten the upper hand, political
ly that the Emperor proposes to ask
for a property and intellectual voting
qualification which shall give each suf-
fragist who is able to meet 1t three bal
lots to one for the proletarian. Such a
qualification now prevails in the Meth
erlands
The success or failure of the munich
pal experiment in the United States
likewise depends on the quality OF the
electorate. Where the pure Anglo
Saxon strain is found. as in the State
of Maine, for example, there Is not
much trouble In running a local gov
eminent to the satisfaction of the peo-
pie. But mixed populations or large
populations develop problems which
municipal science Is vainly battling
with. In the South politics and public
rule have passed by dint of force and
fraud to the responsible whites That
is because the rule of the ignorant.
though legally ordained, became in
tolerable. New York, where municipal
have been scandalous for
the past forty years, presents problems
both of race and numbers. The half
alien majority looks upon all govern
ment as the organized means of plum
der; and the population is so great and
the distractions of life so numerous
that good men either hesitate to WELD
the implements of change upon so vast
a mountain or they are lured from the
politics of reform to some more engage
ing task. Looking over the whole Am
erican field we find that small cities,
where the Anglo Saxon instinct pre-
do pretty well with munich
palities; that large cities where the
same conditions prevail do tolerably
we'll; and that mixed populations, es-
where the aliens are in a ma
ority or are the most active in politi-
al work, do not succeed at all. No re-
orm of government is sought more
in the United States than the
eform of municipalities. Here is the
me weak spot in the American system.
Here is the sore that will not heal. Is
not vastly significant, in view of the
ssues before us in Hawaii, that even
he best of municipalities in the United
states fall Individually below the civic
tandard of Washington. the govern {
nent of which Is so much like that of I
and Hilo.
The Advertiser admits that the time
nay come when Hawaii will find ii
est to divide official responsibility be-
ween the Territory, the county, the
ity, the township and the village. But
the Islands cannot do it now
Without grave harm to their vital in
erests. Our population Ia not of the
ind, as yet, to make the best use of [
ivic opportunities. The leaders of the r
arty which claims a majority of votes 1
make no concealment of their intent to /
'lunder the public treasury. They t
want as many offices as possible to use
n that predatory work. If their plan
ucceeds taxes will be raised enor q
nously and rents will go up In the a
anne ratio. The increase of taxes e
aust, indeed, raise the price of all the h
ecessaries of life; and that, in turn, t
ill reduce the volume of immigration f
nd of incoming investment capital. t
( administrative things are kept as y
hey are for a few years Hawaii will
e populous enough in conservative
eople and rich enough in assessed ii
to handle the municipal issue g
18th some chances of success. Haste "
leans waste and worse than waste; q
nd seeing how well things are being d
now, why should We take L
Ich risks? n
--$- II
rryrS t,Trrr,p an rIryNrn l.,