The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-01
MUNICIPAL
QUESTIONS
How They Appear
From Far OFF
WahiaWa.
MRS. EAMES ON
The SUBJECT.
What Kind of a City This Ought
to Be Under Charter
Government.


ton of the gravest import to the ISL
ands, taking precedence for the time
| being really of land and labor laws, is
| that of city and county organization
| the welfare of this country so closely
| as a clean port of entry and exit. II
! the port of Honolulu becomes an in
| fected port it is manifest to him who
runs that it is vain ito rise up early or
sit down late" for the markets of the
! world will have none of our products.
The health of the islands, the sanitary
condition of the port, is one which con-
fronts every citizen of the country, as
a plain bread and butter necessity,
which cannot be procrastinated with
opt compromising every financial en-
terprise in the islands. That the pres
ent administration of Honolulu has not
at any time achieved a clean or sani-
most partisan as a reason why some
thing better may not be desired in the
future. That we have had cholera and
plague epidemics in the recent past all
tary past belief, that the streets and
sidewalks are foul-smelling and I'M
clean; that certain open waterways
are quagmires of malaria; that the
housing of the lower classes of
the Orientals is careless, crowd
ed, unhygienic, that the sum of
these conditions added to graver ones
not enumerated are a constant menace
to life and property must be as clearly
and frankly recognized before there
can be a hope for better things.
Honolulu is in need of an efficient and
sanitary administration. The propen-
sity of men to gather into focks and
herds in cities has been by municipal
science robbed of half it's dangers. Mu-
nicipal government, from Scotland to
Hungary, is exalting the bacteriologist
and sanitary inspector fostering the
kindergarten and the technical school,
and inquiring anxiously about the
housing of it's people. The slogan for
any movement, not only for putting
Honolulu in line with the great onward
progressive movement of the world,
but for developing Hawaii along
American lines" becomes, then, or
ganization." This growing demand on
the part of the public for radical inn
provements is a sign, a sure sign of
STU ~,
significant indications of the lack of
public will, public zeal, is the sway of
private initiative. When a nations po-
litical and military progress has very
ress, public initiative is relatively
stronger than private initiative. We of
Hawaii are Americans in name if not
in fact, and it is with a full apprecia-
ton of the development which Ameri- !
can institutions will be to US that Pres
ident Roosevelt recommends "the de- !,
of Hawaii along American
lines
In framing a municipal structure
suited to the needs of Hawaii, compar-
isons of the municipal framework of
the cities of England, France, Italy,
Germany as well as America should be
studied with a view to adequate equip
nent for the undertaking. The result of
-hese careful studies by sanitary spe-
2ialists and publicists may be embod-
ed in legislative projects. 4 generous
representation on a charter committee
nsures, if not always the most ideal
esults in one way, in another the gain
# contact with the will of the people.
When we reflect that the most impos-
ible quarter of New York is perhaps
he italian quarter. and yet that in the
asst fifteen or twenty years Italian cit
IS by careful study and strenuous eff
ort have made such strides that the
esult now promises that Italy may
DON teach the other nations something
bout the useful art of sanitary admin
stration, it is apparent where our sal
alton lies, viz, in thought, study and
effort. We shall find superb (
rganization, administration and ffnan-
iering to be the chief criterion of sue
ess in German municipal government
o the wall against increased taxation
-hich will most certainly greet our
ars in Honolulu, we can cite the 1au-
icipal conduct of gas and electric ,
iants with handsome net income in
ne German cities; the municipal Gem
-eries,models Of sanitary beauty which
ield net income; municipal water
'orks conducted with absolutely su-
error service, TO consumers, so as TO
Ell good income; the conversion of