The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-05-05
WILL TEST
COUNTY BILL
Said to Conflict
With Organic
Act.

The first test of the County act will
be made very soon as a result OF the
conflict of authority between the Super
intendent of Public Works and the Ter
ritorial Board of Public Institutions
which was pointed out in the Advertiser
some time ago. The Board formally
organized yesterday morning by the
election of Governor Dole as president
and Secretary Carter as secretary.
Nothing further was done however, ex-
cepting to appoint Mr.. Carter as a COM
mittee to ascertain from the various
departments the amount of money
which Will be required for the conduct
or the institutions under the control Of
the new board. None of these institu-
tions will however be taken over until
the close of the present biennial period
or until the Legislature provides an ap-
preparation for carrying on the work
under the board
AT the meeting yesterday some inter-
esting points were raised by Supt
Cooper wherein he claimed the County
act conflict with the Organic Act 1t
was agreed that the Board of Public
Institutions should make a formal de-
lie Works for harbors, wharves, public
buildings, etc, and that he should re-
fuse, the points of difference then to
be submitted to the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Cooper's contention is that the.
County Act embraces two subjects, the
one providing for the government of
counties, the other creating the Board
of Public Institutions, which under the
provisions of the Organic Act he says,
Is illegal. He claims also that counties
are not the government of the Ter
ritory,' but that what is meant is the
Territorial government" which is Civ
en- control of wharves, harbors, etc.
The new board he says is not part of
the government of the Territory, which
the Organic Act provides, and the
County bill is an attempt to change
the form of government as it was Great
ed by Congress.
He says further that while the duties
of the Superintendent may be modified
by the Legislature, yet the control Of
property vested by Congress cannot be
taken away or given to some branch
of government not recognized by the
Organic Act. Further, control of
wharves, roads, building sites, water
works, electric lighting plants and other
public institutions, 1t is provided in the
land laws, are under the control of the
of Interior, WIN is succeeded
by the Superintendent of Public Works,
and the Organic Act specifically pro-
vides that the land laws shall be chang
ed only by Congress.
1t is further claimed that the Organic
Act prohibits the transfer of any prop
erty of the United States fsom the con-
troll of the Territory.
Supt. Cooper has many other objec-
t!ons and is preparing a written opin-
ion for submission to Governor Dole.
In the meantime there will be no trou-
BILE of any kind and the Supreme Court
will be left to construe the Organic Act
while all the officers concerned will act
in the utmost harmony.
> sseS sseS5.ssesssssseoeseeesss
always find market on the mainland. :
UNITED STATES HAS BEEN GEN
EROUS.
The general government has been
most generous with this territory. We
are situated so far out in the great
ocean, that in war we must depend
largely on the people on the mainland
FOR defense. In peace, our chief mar
<et is with the same people. We should
produce only those things which will
'isal, etc Take sisa for instance; last
year over $13,000000 worth was pro-
1uced and sold in the little Mexican
state of Yucatan. 1t is always a bad
practice to put all of our eggs in one
basket" This We do by raising moth
ng but one thing, sugar. While 1t Is
rue this territory can raise more sug-
lr per acre than any other country,
yet we have to compete not only with
he beet sugar produced all over the
but with the cane sugar pro-
luced in Louisiana. Porto Rico, Cuba
md the Philippine Islands. Cuba alone
PRODUCES about one million tons of sug-
lr annually.
SMALL FARMER A NECESSITY.
Tropical fruits will grow here abun-
antly. This territory is just starting.
BY and by it will astonish the world
With its productions; but we must have
'eople to develop it. The small farmer
$ necessity in a small country and
he small farmer will soon be a pros
'erous farmer.
HAWAII AS A WINTER RESORT.
And again, can see no reason why
his territory should not be the great
inter resort for the American people,
t the west. The Islands are more
han interesting to visit. There is
othing on the American continent
hat surpasses in beauty the windward
de of the Island of Hawaii; and If in
ddtion to its natural resources, some
the advantages of the older pleasure
esorts are added, 1 can think of no
lore ideal place to spend a winter in
lan in these Islands. And those vis-
ors will be means of spreading
,roughout the United States . knowl-
ige of the natural beauties and re-
ources of the territory. But to ac-
omplish this result, We must not be
,mplaining about conditions. We
now the country and If we do not
,eak we'll of it, who can be expected
}? And again, We have live volca-