Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-09-23
Governor Dole Questioned
Before the Commission

crown lands and were under govern
ment lease which had eleven years to
run.
Mitchell--What should be done In
this matter for the benefit of these
Portuguese and the general good?
Dole-There should be new and
longer leases secured at the termina.
ton OF the crown lease. This would
be the most practical plan.
Burton-Why not provide for them
to get titles. That would be better
would II not?
Dole-Yes, that might be better.
Burton-Do you favor municipal
government?
Dole-For cities?
Burton-Yes.
Municipal Government-Eventu
Dole-I think so eventually. II
would be rather a hard thing to bring
about satisfactorily but l recognize
the situation. There is a desire of the
community for It and think II mus,
be met
Senator Burton asked II the horrible
situation Of affairs as obtained at the
plague time would have occurred had
there been county and municipal gov
eminent here and the witness answer
ed that he did not know. Senator Bur.
ton then asked the question in several
forms, the final one being: would
such a state of affairs be allowed to
exist in a community where people had
the right to vote?" Witness answered
that he believed the tendency would
be to improve the situation. However
there were cities on the Mainland
whose condition was just as pad as Ho'
nolulu during the plague time. Sena'
tor Butron replied that he had never
visited any where the conditions wer,
such as had been given with reference
to Honolulu.
Appointive or Elective?
The next question asked by Senator
Burton was whether II would not bI
better for all the officials of the Terri
torial government to be elected rather
than appointed. Witness replied tina
he did not think so. He had heard ex
pressions along that line but expert
ence had proved this to be false i'm
preston. For instance, at one TIM
here, the road boards were all elected
and in the case OF Hilo inefficient mel
were chosen. A large amount of mon
ey passed through their hands AM
there were no appreciable results
There were scandals and the Legisla
ture changed the law. This was II
1887 or 1888 and the law was change
a few years later. The law was bot
made and revoked under the monarchy
Witness, in response to another ques
ton by Senator Burton, went on to sa
that he believed the system as carrie
on by the Federal government was tn
best for the Islands. Witness state
that he knew this system to be differ
ent from that OF the Territories O
the Mainland but still he believed tn
results would be better.
Senator Burton next asked II Il wa
not because the people OF the Island
were not capable OF exercising the rigf
of franchise that had led witness to IN
conclusion he had lust stated and Gov
ernor Dole answered that some of tn
electorate were nneoual 10 the task :
electing all classes OF officers.
Matter Of Comparison.
Senator Burton again asked the que,
ton II the witness had not arrived 0
his conclusion because the majority {
the electorate we're incapable of exel
cising the right of franchise INTEL
gently and the answer came that III
term "intelligently" was quite genera
Witness kept on comparing the loci
with the Federal government and Ser
ator Burton said: You can't compal
the Territorial with the Federal 90,