Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-15

the latter were Rev. w. NJ. Kincaid,
Rev. J. A. Cruzan and Justice A. Perry.
At the back of the reading table upon
the wall the National and Territorial
flags had their folds blended with q
cluster of small flags in the midst. In
the absence of the president, Percy VI.
Pond. the chair was filled by the secre-
tary, w. A. Bryan, assistant curator OF
Bishop Museum and an officer of the
Federal Department Of Agriculture.
Time was called on the discussion fol-
lowing the reading of the paper at $3.50,
when Mr.. Smith invited his guests to
refreshment tables set at one side.
Following is the full text of Mr.. Smiths
paper:
Mr.. Smiths Paper.
The subject of municipal govern.
ment is a large one, and in attempting
to prepare paper or an address
treating of 1t in a brief yet compre.
hensive way there is difficulty in
knowing where to begin and where to
stop.
Rather than endeavor to enter into
a prolonged statement or a discussion
of details. 1t has seemed. upon refiec-
ton. better to present suggestions and
thoughts upon certain salient points
and principles involved.
The statements made and views eX
pressed will be chiefly those Of others
who have made a study OF the subject
,,.ha Nt,tf nI A
thOrity.
While there may be little presented
that is new, and there may be a sense
OF disappointment, If the result is to
stimulate thought upon the subject
and promote study and inquiry, the OBJ
ject will be attained.
Any one inspired with patriotic mo
tives who attempts to draft charter
or an act for the government of city
or county in these Islands under exist
| ing conditions will be confronted with
many serious problems. Some OF
these questions are as old as city gov
eminent itself: others arise from the
peculiar circumstances of the case.
| III Nh' i'llOMihb bl'A
statement the purpose has not been
to merely raise objections and present
obstacles, but to emphasize the seri
BUSINESS of the subject.
The term municipal government
is generally used to designate loca
self.government, or corporate govern
ment, of a city or town.
There may be said to be two dis
tinct general systems OF administra
ton. the municipal or self.governing
and the centralizing or bureaucratic
and there are combinations of both.
There is much variety In the forms
of municipal governments, from those
in which the general government eX
ercises large control, as in Paris. tC
the cities in Great Britain, where &
limited franchise and property quail
fication govern the voters, and to tn,
general American type, controlled b!
popular suffrage.
In Paris. the typical modern city q
continental Europe, national and lOCa
Authority are united in the govern
ment of the city in remarkable man
ner, and under the conditions which
exist there, produce admirable re
suits.
There is a municipal council elected
by the votes of all the citizens of tn,
eighty quarters, which votes or with
holds the supplies, and acts through
eight or ten committees, and the PIE
feet of the Department oil the Seine
and the Project of Police, both ap
pointed by and representing the gen
eral government.
These Projects represent the admin
istrative machine and are not undo
the immediate authority of'the Coun
Gil. The Project OF the Department O
the Seine, whose immediate superio
is the Minister of the Interior, Is. 1
fact, the Mayor of Paris, with complet
executive authority; that Is to say, hi
authority is complete within tn
sphere assigned to him, and is incon
plete only to the extent of those mi
nicipal tasks the management Z
| b''h ''hhh'N w Jaw I
the Project of Police.
For limited and well defined pu
poses, the Project OF Police may ais
be regarded as Mayor Of Paris. In thu
DRY It Is difficult to draw the line thG
separates the jurisdiction of thes
two high officials. In practice, HOY
ever, there is a distinct line OF dema
cation. In general, the Project Of til
Seine has control Of most of the grei
regular departments of municipal a
minis ration, while the Project of p
| lice has control over the ordinary p
lice administration, the enforcement
of sanitary regulations and kindrC
matters.
The municipal council elects |
= own president and has It's own int
rlor organization for its work. II yot'
!. the budgets, or appropriation bill
g for the city expenses including poll'
estimates.
In DR.. Shaw's admirable works :
), Municipal Government in Great Br
" ain, aGd Municipal Government
u Continental Europe, he treats of Pa
D. is as a type, the necessary startil
p point Tor a description Of the mode
& regime in Continental cities" and
a Glasgow "for the more rounded al
v. elaborate study Of British municir
life in the concrete"
We are all more familiar with {