The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-17
MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENT.
President Dole Speaks
On the Subject.
IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA
Comparisons Drawn Between Cities
At a Meeting of Social
Science Association.

Judge Frear's residence on Punahou
street was the meeting place last even
ing OF the members of the Honolulu
Social Science Association. Besides
the members a number of the leading
men of the city were present by spe-
cial invitation to listen to President
Dole's paper on municipal govern
ment.
I Among those who attended were
President Dole, J. B. Atherton, presi-
dent of the association; Prof. Rich
ards, secretary: c. NJ Cooke. L. A.
Thurston, p. G. Jones, f. NJ. Boyd, f.
C. Atherton, Prof. Scott, Prof. Lyons,
DR.. Emerson. T. McCants Stewart, Mr..
Brigham. Mr.. Emerson, DR.. Rodgers,
Prof. Hosmer, Judge Frear, Prof. Alex
ander, w. r. Castle, Rev. w. NJ. Kin
caid, Rev. II. c. Brown, and others.
President Atherton announced that
the principal topic of discussion of the
evening had been chosen by reason of
the strong general interest manifested
in Honolulu In the municipal govern
ment to be given-to Honolulu and to
Hilo as the representative cities OF the
Hawaiian group. President Dole had
prepared a paper upon the subject of
municipal government as observed In
American and English cities.
President Dole spoke for nearly an
hour, giving his attention to compari-
sons between the merits of cor
porate government as represented
by the best types of cities in England
nd In dra nj
slons In favor of the general success
o, the former. The corporate govern
ment of the latter were interfered with
too much by the legislatures, bringing
an element of politics into them which
destroyed their usefulness as corpora
tions and prevented the most beneficial
results to the community. President
Dole said
IL will introduce some points to
weave into this discussion. The OBJ
ject of discussing this subject .3 in
view of the probability that there will
be an early movement for municipal
corporations In this country, both in
Honolulu and at Hilo. The question
has great deal OF interest for us. Our
community is not very different from
other communities where municipal
corporations are common-except that
II Is made up or more naLlonailIles
than usual, and the municipal wants,
for that reason, are probably quite Sc
rious. But the Anglo-Saxon element
| here Is American and European, and
| in all probability the movement here
will be a difficult one to handle prop
erly. / don't know anything about
| municipal corporations experimental
| ly. 1t Is something which Americans
know more about than people who
have always lived in Hawaii.
| II believe 1t will help US to look at
| he conditions of corporations In all
| parts of the world, especially where
| ,ommon law prevails. 1t Is very in
| erestng 70 study the differences OF
corporate bodies in America and Eu-
rope. In England the development Of
corporations ran on from very early
| lines until after the American COLO
| MES broke away from England. The
| eceding co'onies. and ultimately the
| United States, followed along the
| English precedents. and have develop
ID the corporate idea from these be-
yinnings. But whereas, the English
movement followed the same general
lines up to about 1884, they made a
new departure then and developed a
| system very different from the Ameri-
can system and far more successful.