The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-03-09

| IL NAY levy t1xeS ana approqr11ff
money. but the council should have
nothing to do with spending money.
The executive power OF the city Il
lodged in the mayor, who il elected By
| the people. and responsible to them
The business of the city should BE-
placed under the control Of various
departments. the heads of which are
appointed by the mayor and subiec,
to removal by him at any time These
departments may be either under the
control of one commissioner or two
commissioners for each department
The advantage of three commission
ers is the representation OF the two
leading political parties on the board
| One commissioner. however. is more
! economical and dispatches business
more quickly.
/! Department OF Finance.
The most important executive de
| partment is the department of finance
! The head of this department may be
called the city comptroller He keeps
| the books. acts as auditor of all &C.
| counts, draws all warrants, is respon-
sible for no council appropriation be.
ing exceeded by any department and
makes annual recommendations to
the council of the various
items to be appropriated by
it This position of comptroller
having annexed to it of the above pow
ers, has proved to re the most signal
| triumph of the new city charters. The
mayor and his comptroller are respon-
sible for the honest and economical
use of public funds.
The treasurership may be vested. for
economy, in the county treasurer. but
in any event the office possesses only
it's usual functions.
The department of public works
stands second in Importance. 1t is
charged with the making of all con-
tracts, the cleaning of streets, the
purchase of all supplies for all other
departments, the construction of sew
ers, making of street grades and street
improvements, fire cisterns and the
like, its contractual powers always
being absolutely limited to the expen-
diture of appropriations made by the
council before any contract is entered
into OF course. if street improve
ments are paid for by local assess
ulculS, Ills ID OH cACcptiOA " Tic IOiC
going rule.
The department of public safety,
which has charge of the fire and police
forces. stands third in importance
Department of Law.
The department of law, the head of
which is the city attorney, and the
department of health and charities,
embracing both hospital management
and care for public health, complete
the great divisions of business for. a.
city of moderate size. As has been
said, all of the heads of these depart
ments are appointed by the mayor,
and are removable Dy nm. The heads
of each department appoint all of their
respective subordinates The CONTROL
ing principle running through the
whole executive department is the
mayors supreme power and supreme
responsibility to the people for the
expenditure of money (sublect always
to the granted appropriations), and
for the enforcement of law and order.
The judicial power of the city is
lodged in city Judge, elected by the
people, and therefore independent of
the other branches of government
The foregoing Jrief sketch of the
modern city charter. of course, cannot
supply nor suggest the numerous de-
tails which must enter into the charter
as complete whole. Although tnere
has been an agreement of the best au-
thorities and the best experience upon
all of the propositions above stated,
as comprising essential requisites fer
modern city charter, many questions
are left unsettled For my own part,
my personal judgment favors the fol-
lowing additional features:
First-A complete system of civil
service rules, to be embodied in the
charter. regulating -.se appointment
of all subordinate employees of the
city, but retaining full power of dis
charge in the heads of departments.
Second-The assessment of the cost
OF all improvements of streets and al
leys. and of all sewers. upon the prop
erty benefited.
Third-A constitutional amendment
Withdrawing from legislatures the
right to amend or repeal any part of a
city charter. providing for the draft
ing of each city's charter by conven-
ton of its own people and its approval
by the vote of the Whole people. and
further providing that no amendment
can be adopted except by popular
vote.
Fourth-The submission of fran
chises to a vote of the people
In ten years experience in the city
of Indianapolis. under such a charter
as have described, the civil service |
provisions of the charter being left |
entirely under the mayors control. |
are dead letter. The street and |
sewer provisions above recommend |
ed have been a glorious success. re-
sulting in the physical Transformation |
of the city The constitutional change |
above suggested is too obviously ad- |
vantageous to require strong argu- |
ment. and the submission Of public 1
franchises to popular vote COM
mends itself as q new safeguard of /
the peoples interest.
In my own city me tar rate has, /
for the past ten years, averaged a re-
duction of 20 per cent, over the pre- /
vious ten years. and the city has. In /
respect to all pu.Lc affairs. undergone /
a transformation obvious to every l
visitor. but best understood by the /
residents themselves Much of this /
is attribute. to the re
form charter OF 1890
AUGUSTUS LYNCn MASON.
Indianapolis. Feb Is. 1901