Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-12-10
COUNTY SITUATION DELICATE

The County Law situation Is becom.
ing intensified and very properly takes
the center of local interest. What the
friends of the law need have a care
for is that in seeking methods of pres.
ervation they shall not act at cross
purposes, and in the midst OF their diff.
ierences discover that the enemies.
who are in the minority have succeed.
ed in accomplishing their aims.
The committee appointed from the
County mass meeting has presented a
definite proposal that test case be
presented to the Supreme Court and
II the law is found vitality weak, the
Legislature be Immediately called in
extra session to perfect the measure.
Mr.. Hatch cables from Washington
that the bill for Congressional rati'
fication of the law has been introduced
and has been favorably received.
What will the people do now?
Mr.. Hatch's cable would indicate
that this favorable consideration in.
cludes the support of Delegate KuhiD
and the way seems open for speedy
action, and Congressman do not con.
slider this course of action so extra.
ordinary that 1t may be looked upon as
a serious reflection on Hawaii's capac.
ity for self government.
The Bulletin believes that the best
method of handling this County Law
affair is that which offers the most
speedy result at the least expense. All
things being equal, ii is better for Ha.
wall to enact and revise its own laws,
but If our expert lawyers have made a
failure OF creating a law not in con.
iliCt with the Organic Act in the first
instance what promise have the PEG.
pie that they will be more successful
in dealing with the later revision.
What promise Is there that having
corrected present obvious errors, there
. will not be more to follow and con
tinuation of the fight to discredit the
law? Il is true that the same query
may be offered In connection with a
law given Federal sanction, as no law
whether Federal or Territorial. is be-
yond attack. II is also true. however,
that the Federal law would be less
likely TO attack as Congress after all is
the constitutional power over the Ter
Titory.
The weak place in the Hatch mis-,
sion Is the lack Of knowledge OF just
what he is doing. The people want to
know the details of the bill he has in
troduced; they want ana have a right
to know its full scope-whether II
makes the present County Law elastic
as regards local amendment or hard
and fast for all time. II the men d.
rectly responsible for Mr.. Hatchs
movements will supply this informa'
ton as they can do. the public will be
in a more receptive state of mind.
The urgent desire Of known OPP
ponents of the County Law to uphold
Territorial self government would
contain less political buncomb II theiT
Interior motive were not so apparent
All they fear from the Hatch Mission
Is that Congressional action in this
instance will make county and munic
ipal laws stable.
Does any thoughtful citizen suppose
that opponents of the County Law who
are joining the opposition to the Hatch
mission would hesitate an instant to
go to Congress with a local measure
which they favored but found on test
ing in the local courts to require Con
gressional sanction to make 1t a GER
tainty?