Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-06
CORRESPONDENCE
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ACT.

MUNICIPAL CORpOkAIION All.
Editor Sunday Bulletin:-The "Mu-
nicipal Corporation Act"which through
the public spiritedness of the Sunday
Bulletin has been printed in its issues
from February to March 80 inclusive,
is almost identical with the Municipal
program published by the National
Municipal League of the United States
in the report of its conference held at
Columbus, Ohio, during November
1899.
The Act" as there published, was
compiled after thorough discussion
Of abuses in the management of affairs
of municipalities throughout the Unit.
ed States-the influence of State and
Territorial legislatures in the affairs Of
municipalities and the special legisla.
ton resulting from their control by the
State.
As republished in the Sunday Bull
letin the program conforms to require.
ments of the Organic Act-its seven
articles subdivided into f1fty.eight sec.
tons comprising a general law under
which communities may incorporate.
It had been prepared for introduction
at the regular session of the legisla.
ture, but was withheld owing to the
late date at which the County Bill"
passed the House.
A number Of changes which would
strengthen the general provisions Of
the Bill have suggested themselves
since the Bulletin took the matter up
and, were in funds to the extent nee
essary to publish the matter in pam.
phlet form, would cneerfully do so
as my contribution toward solving the
problem Of stable. clean, progressive
government for the City of Honolulu.
Any one who has thus far read the
Draft of Charter for City and County
of Honolulu submitted to the Repub.
lican Charter Commission" and which
has been running as a companion.
piece to the Municipal Corporation
Act" in the Sunday Bulletin, must have
noted the difference between the two.
The one proposes by enactment of the
legislature to provide charter for the
government of the City OF Honolulu
many of the provisions being far in
advance of present requirements and
subject always to modification or re-
vision by the Territorial legislature
which in itself is to say the least,
most undesirable contingency as judg.
ed by the experience of municipalities
situated under like conditions on the
mainland
The other is a general Act under
which cities or towns in the Territory
may vote to incorporate, the powers
conferred therein being such as to
yield the cities incorporating thereun-
der the fullest measure of Home Rule.
Under the Municipal Corporation
Act the Legislature of the Territory is
barred from enacting special legisla.
ton in regard to any one city. the pow.
er to enact being left to a majority Of
the voters or their representatives in
the City Government.
One of the most glazing inconslsten.
cies in the matter Of legislation is the
necessity for persons honestly desir.
Gus Of doing what is right, having to
pass on appropriations or discuss
measures applying to a portion of the
Territory of whose actual needs they
are in positive ignorance. In like man.
ner a legislator having less conscien.
tlous scruples seeks to get all he can
for his District or his friends by all
kinds of trading of votes, totally dis
regardful of its effect on the general
welfare. Hence II is desirable to re.
duce the factors of ignorance ON the
one hand and cupidity on the other by
bringing the representative in closer
touch with his constituents and their
environment. This is most thoroughly
provided for in the Municipal Corpora.
tion Act.
JOHN EMMELUTH.