The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-31
THE MUNICIPAL QUESTION.

There is no trouble as our Kealia
correspondent shows, to make a good
argument in favor of the principle
which underlies the municipal idea. In
theory this principle is perfect but in
practice 1t only works out well where
constituencies are ripe for IL. An An
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 Teutonic 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
Iy that the Emperor proposes to ask
for n property and intellectual voting
qualification which shall give each suf-
fragist who is able to meet it three bal
lots to one for the proletarian. Such
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 i'm 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
proceedings 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 engag-
ing task. Looking over the whole Am
erican field we find that small cities
where the Anglo-Saxon instinct pre-
dominates, do pretty well with munich
palities; that large cities where the
same conditions prevail do tolerably
well; and that mixed populations, es-
pecially where the aliens are in ma
tority or are the most active in politi-
cal work, do not succeed at all. No re.
form OF government is sought more
eagerly in the United States than the
reform of municipalities. Here is the
one weak spot in the American system
Here Is the sore that will not heal. i:
IL not vastly significant, in view Of thu
issues before us in Hawaii, that ever
the best of municipalities in the United
States fall Individually below the civil
standard of Washington, the govern
ment of which is so much like that o
Honolulu and Hilo.
The Advertiser admits that the tim
may come when Hawaii will find /
best to divide official responsibility be
tween the Territory, the county, tn
city, the township and the village. Blu
assuredly the Islands cannot do 1t nov
without grave harm to their vital In
terests. Our population Is not OF Tn
kind, as yet, to make the best use Q
civic opportunities. The leaders or tn
party which claims a majority of vote
make no concealment of their intent I
plumber the public treasury. The
want as many offices as possible to us
in that predatory work. II their pla
succeeds taxes will be raised enor
mously and rents will go up in tn
same ratio. The increase of take
must, indeed. raise the price of all tn
necessaries of life; and that, in turl
will reduce the volume Of immigratio
and of incoming investment capita
IL administrative things are kept 9
they are for a few years Hawaii wi
be populous enough in censervati,
people and rich enough in assesse
valuation to handle the municipal issr
with some chances of success. Has
means waste and worse than waste
and seeing how well things are bein
managed now, why should we tai
such risks?