The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-01-05
AN EXPENSIVE SYSTEM.

December afst. estimating the ex'
penses for the last month. aggregate
the sum Of sz7s, 5os.4o. That this sum
is very high in proportion to the
wealth and population OF Hawaii every
fair minded man viii agree Not that
II has been more expensive under Mr..
Dole's administration than il would
have been under any one else. but be
cause of the system In fact. Attorney
General Dole makes q good showing
in keeping the expenses Of his depart.
ment down to more than SIS. 900 below
the estimate.
But the whole system Of state %
lice under the Attorney Generals DE-
partment and presided over by High
Sheriff and innumerabfe Sheriffs and
deputies, is the most expensive that
could possibly be devised. There is
no question that il Hawaii were di-
videu into FIVE counties and the two
municipalities of Honolulu and Hilo
that the expenses of the police forces
OF the two cities and the sherih's Of
fees of the FIVE counties would not
exceed $4,000 per annum- Besides
being less costly. the pay OF the
sheriff and deputies OF the several
counties would come from fees, as In
the various states and territories Of
the Union, and thus would not be a
direct drain upon the people as under
the present system
State police or constabulary has al
ways proved the most expensive
wherever tried. A particular instance
of this is shown by the cities Of Mis-
souri,. where the legislature. for par
tizan reasons, took the control Of the
police out of the hands of the people
of the cities one year ago. In 1896
st. Louis gave over $4,000 majority
for Mckinley This was not relished
by the Democratic legislature, so it
passed the Infamous Nesbitt law pro-
viding for the appointment by the
Democratic Governor Of election
boards for the three cities Of the state
and for state control of the police. In
order that it would not appear IS
directly blow at st. Louis city. the
law was made to apply to St. Louis,
Kansas City and St. Joseph. The
change in the police force Of st. Louis
has been most disastrous. According
to a recent number Of the st. Louis
Globe Democrat, the cost of the police
in that city for the first year OF the
state control has amounted to almost
5000 900 more than the cost for the
preceding year under city control. Not
only that, but it has resulted in par
tisan police under which the grossest
election frauds were perpetrated at
the last election.
In no other state or territory Of the
United States is the Attorney General
burdened with the control of the po-
lice, and there is no good reason why
he should be in Hawaii Attorney
Cr-~- recognizes the evil If
Unnecessary Capitalization of power
in the board Of health, under which
law the Attorney General is made ex
officio a member Of that board. and
recommends the repeal of the law.
The Capitalization of police power is
even a greater evil and should much
more be done away with than the law
making the Attorney General an ex.
officio member Of the board Of health
Speaking for his own Office and
that of other officials under him, the
Attorney General says: Il believe a
general reduction Of salaries would be
disastrous to the public service" This
in our opinion is not correct. Just
why the Attorney General of the little
Territory of Hawaii should receive q
salary of $4,000 a year. which is more
than the salary paid to the Attorney
General of any other state or territory
in the Union. excepting the great
State of New York. we cannot under
stand. California. great and rich rs
the state is. pays her Attorney Gen
eral but $1,000 a year. and the fore
most attorneys of the state strive for
the position. II is well in this con
nection to contrast the salary of the
Attorney General of Hawaii with that
Of other officials as Fixed by Congress
The salary of the Governor is $4,000
a year. and that is almost twice what
is paid the Governor Of any OF the
older territories, their salaries being
but $4,000 per year. The salaries OF
the circuit judges is but $4,000 per
year. and surely as great legal talent
is required to be Circuit Judge as to
be Attorney General. When lobbyists
from Hawaii protested before the
committees of the two houses at Wash
ington against only allowing the cir
cult judges a salary of $1,000 a year
members of the committee were quics
TO say that il lawyers could not be hat
in Hawaii to accept the positions a
that salary they would amend tn
Organic Act so as to permit Of tn
President appointing outsiders to tn
bench here. The members Of the cor
gressional committee counted on civ
pride. which. under the old legisls
ton OF Hawaii. which was always il
favor of the ricn and against the pool