The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-04-27
THE COUNTY BILL.

Inc senate mas passed tne county
bill. The Senate has not covered itself
with glory in the process, for the SEN
ate practically does not know what it
has passed. Upon a vital and impor-
1ant matter for men to play at Legisla-
tion in the matter that the Senae has
done in this case is an absolute dis
grace. - s
The position of The Star upon the
County bin act and upon Municipal
government is clear cut. 1t believes
firmly in both, but The Star has al
ways advocated that time and care
should be taken in preparing bills for
their initiation of these needed reforms,
and as far as Municipal government
was concerned The Star believed and
still believes in an act which shall be
general and not specific, under which
any city can organize from Haena to
Kalae.
The County bill as passed by the
Senate is an undigested document 1t
is crude, even after it has passed
through the very feeble crucble of
committee of the House. In it's pristine
beauty, when it first blazed forth upon
the public. it was a bill that was fear
fully and wonderfully made. Consider
able efforts have been made to find out
who was the true author of the original
bill. Up to the present it has not been
possible to locate him, though he is be-
ing gradually chased down. When he
is made clear he will find himself
L
of English or any other language and
for the Grass absurdity of what he tried
TO foist upon the public as statesman
ship.
The original County bill was practi-
cally laughed out of court. 1t was
unintelligible, it was inconsequent, a
committee, none too wise, indeed a
committee utterly incapable of correct
ing the crudities and unintelligibility of
the original bill, wrestled with the pre-
cious document, and produced some
thing which got through the House of
Representatives and then sent it to the
Senate. 1t was better than the first
draft, it is true, but it was very little
better. AS a whole it was ineligible,
English language, that was no
thanks to the committee, which was
absolutely incapable of work in this
direction, but was due to the person
that was called in to their assistance and
paid well out of the public purse-but
it was very poor stuff indeed, and it
needed much amendment and altera-
fiDn Moreover from a hOH,y ba
Senate, the most important Legislature
branch which the Territory possesses,
it needed the most careful cOnsidera-
ton.
Did it get this consideration. Did
those fifteen men who sit in the Senate
give any careful thought to a matter
which would influence the well being of
their fellow citizens. The majority
was ready to read the bill by title and
throw all debate to the winds. The
action of the Senate in this matter is
disgrace to that body. The Star
would be clearly understood upon this
matter 1t is not that it opposes he
County bill it believes very thoroughly
in a County bill, but it believes~i its
being bill framed by men who know
what they are doing, and who are
working for the advantage and for bet
tering the position of their fellow citi-
zens.
If such is the position, and The Star
believes that it is unassailable. the po-
sition of the Senate is a very weak one
indeed. The Senate has passed a bill
which will go to the Governor trusting
that he will veto it. or let it expire of
hamilton which he can do. But would
1t not have been better and more hon
Orable of the Senate to fight the matter
nut then and there, Why should the
Senate, or its minority throw the bur
den of Legislation upon the Governor
Viewed as one reads from the reports,
one must consider that the Senate has
been very remiss in it's duty upon the
County bill. 1t was a matter of the ut
most important to every man, woman
and child in the community. The Sen
ate calmly laid its burden of discussion
aside and passed an impossible bill with
the hope that the Governor would take
the burden upon his shoulders.
Whether County bills go or County
bills don't the material prosperity goes
forward. We may have fools for our
representatives. but our progress is
made by ourselves. This community is,
for it's size, a very wealthy community.
A raid is being made upon its little
wealth, but it is amply able to take
care of itself in such matters.