The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-16
UNNECESSARY DELAY.

The session of the first Territorial
Legislature of Hawaii has used UP one
third of it's time, and has accomplished
nothing. Does it expect to accomplish
anything in the remainder of its time?
The first of the important bills, but by
no means the most important, appeared
yesterday, viz: the Dispensary bill This
bill, aiming as it does at large interests
will meet with considerable opposition,
not only here, but on the mainland. But
this bill is not the great measure of the
session.
The great measure of the session is
the bill establishing counties and next
to il in Importance is the bill for giving
a municipality to Honolulu. These are
radical measures. By the term The
Star means no slur open the measures.
1t distinctly uses the term in its true
sense. These are measures which go
to the root of things and are therefore
radical. 1t is these measures which we
have been waiting for, and these meas
ures which the people had a right to
think that the majority would bring in
as soon as the session commenced. The
people have a right to complain that
so much time has been wasted, before
matters which are vital to their well
fare are put before them.
The Star believes in county govern
ment and in municipal government. But
the change from the present centraliz-
ed system should be made with care.
In a case of this kind people are apt
to think that it is the officials that are
most affected. The Star does not give
a snap for the officials, present or flu
ture. What it does care about is the
people. Unless the greatest care is
taken the people are going to suffer
In point of fact it looks almost as if ii
was going to be a labor of Hercules
to bring order out of the chaos that
may result from hasty and undigested
legislation.
What is now before us means tear
ing up our statute book and then piecing
together the fragments to suit the
changed conditions. There is really nc
law which will not be affected by the
changed conditions. The tax law, the
police law, the liquor law, the license
law, the school law, and in fact all the
laws will have to be thoroughly over
hauled and considered, before they car
be brought into harmony with the new
order of things. Can this be done dur
ing the remainder of the session? Fan
seeing and able as our legislators may
be, gifted and highly educated as some
may be, practical and hard headed as
others may be, one cannot see how
they can compass the impossible.
Really, as we stand now, it is the
county and municipality bills that are
needed. Without them we are at a
standstill. Out of the bills that are
now before the two houses, many will
be so much waste paper when the
county and municipal bills come in
The bulk of them has been made or
the assumption of the present status
of affairs. If county government comes
in, the counties will settle their own
affairs. The municipalities, if created,
will settle theirs, and both sets of gov
ernments will resent bitterly being tied
up or menaced in any way by the Ter
ritorial Legislature.
What is going to be the issue is what
is being asked continually by those
whose business interests are going to
be most affected. Is the Legislature
going to leave the Territory in a chao-
tic state, or is ii gong to accomplish
anything definite. 4.,c people of the
Territory have a very good reason for
complaint. The maju.ty of the Legis-
lature met in Honolulu before the Leg
islature met, and spent month or
more in framing the - sislation of the
coming session. The luea was a good
one, and everybody hoped that the re-
suits of the work of the majority would
be put before the two Houses prompt
ly. The people were led to believe that
the business of the session would be
expedited. 1t has not been expedited
1t has fallen very seriously behind. AS
far as results are concerned the mem
bers of the majority might never have
met in caucus for a month or so be-
fore the meeting of the Legislature
When the session is one third through
we get one important bill, and that
by no means the most important bill
How long are we going to wait until
we get the bills which are to guide ouI
future prosperity.