Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-06-22


hall of the House Of Representative
took q survey OF the work to be per-
formed and now is well ready to make
rapid progress along definite lines In
the formation of an Organic County
Act for the Territory Of Hawaii. The
full Commission was present. which
consists Of Chairman Henry e. Cooper,
Secretary T. McCants Stewart, Sena.
tor Clarence l.. Crabbe, e. M. Watson
and ex-Speaker of the House Fred. w.
Beckley.
At a previous meeting Chairman
Cooper had been requested at an early
date to devote an evening to a discus
sion of the scope and nature of the
work to be done by the Commission.
This he did last evening.
cooper's Outline.
Mr. Cooper said: The opportunity
is offered for the formation of coun.
ty law which will provide for simple
form OF government, an opportunity to
give a form Of representative govern
ment a good beginning In this Terri
tory. The foundation upon which this
government may be said OF right to
rest is the right of the people in their
respective Islands to expend the mon
eys raised through taxation, upon their
own public works. Given this right,
which Is the first step in the right di.
rection, the people and the country will
then be ready for the distribution OF
further and greater powers.
"The Organic Act must be the guild.
ing star of our work In the formation
OF this law. The more I study II the
more believe that county government
for these Islands must be limited un.
der its provisions. The elaborate bill
of 1903 contains many valuable sug.
gestions and will be worth great deal
to us in our deliberations. II shows
able and painstaking labor was expend.
ed upon 1t, but believe It to be full or
points in conflict with fhe Organic Act.
The two which were raised to test its
validity are proof of this, and there are
many others equally conflicting.
"As lawyers our regulations are at
stake in our work on this Commission.
and, first Of all. we must draw bill
free from suspicion of conflict with the
Organic Act.
II see no reason for including rev.
enue measure or license law in the
county law. Those matters can be
reached by simple amendments to
present laws. SO that the statutes re-
lating to revenue and licenses will con-
form to the Act We shall present.
Transfer Of Property.
II have grave doubts as to the legal
right Of the Territory under the Or.
ganic Act to transfer property to the
counties. We should take no chances
In this branch Of the subject.
"Those who wish to see the people
have the full benefits OF their rights
look to the Board Of Supervisors In
each county as the proper medium for
the expression OF the popular will. ]
feel very doubtful whether 1t will be
legal under the Organic Act for the
people to elect Board Of Supervisors.
A Board of Supervisors for county Is
undoubtedly Public Board and, II so,
the Organic Act requires that its men,
bers shall be appointed by the Govern
or. do not give these as my solidifed
or settled opinions, but merely as tho
outgrowth of experience in contact
with the Act Of 1908.
"The next question is. How shall the
county be governed? Shall the Board
OF Supervisors of each county be elect
ed by the people or appointed by the
Governor, or shall each county have q
single Supervisor elected by the PEG.
pie?
Method Of Work.
II believe we can make progress in
our work by taking the Act OF 1908
20 through 1t and strike out whatever
we feel clearly should not remain a
portion Of the County Act. When all
conflicting portions have been elimi
mated We can draft what remains, cor
rect phraseology. cut out words and
add such provisions as we may agree
upon.
| There Is no need" continued Mr.
| Cooper, from an economic standpoint
for more than one county on the Isl
and of Hawaii. have talked with
great many of the people on that Isl
and both before and since the passage
of the last County Act and have found
them generally of the belief that one
county for that Island Is what is need
| cd have been over the roads, When