The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-13

cannot on the principle of local controI
manage our schools, or the public
health without a central board and a
local board in each district: but they
would have to be appointed by the Gov
ernor. So that the Governor, who is
not elected by the people. and in a
political sense is not reSpons ible to
them, would have in his hands the en-
tire machinery of government just as
he had, when Congress authorized the
legislature to stabIish counties, towns,
and cities and provide for their gov
eminent, a provision inserted in the
Organic Act, I claim, to enable The
legislature to decentralize the govern
ment and to make it the kind of gov
eminent referred to by Gov. Carter in
these words, when he called the last
special session of the legislature, nan.e-
Iy: AS the authority to call the Legis-
lature rests with me, would not feel
myself true to Hawaiis best interests
if 1 failed to take this responsibility. If
Hawaii is ever to fit herself for a place
in the union of sovereign States, we
must show that we have a government
here, not only of the people and for
the people, but by the people,
II have thought of several expedients
for attempting to evade the appoint
ment of our county boards by the Gov
ernor; but they are not sound in prin-
ciple and would be difficult to carry
out in practice.
For example, I thought that our act
might provide that the people shall
select the supervisors for the Governor
to nominate; but the Governor would
not be bound, and such a void provi-
sion might affect the whole act.
But even if it did not, and the Gov
ernor should start the machinery by
nominating the supervisors selected in
each county, they could not appoint
school board, a road board, or any other
board, because this power would lie
with the Governor.
ct wish the commission could have
the views of our citizens, legal and lay,
upon this proposition; for upon its de-
cision hangs the nature of the whole
county act.
Three courses are open to US, two
of which we can follow at once, name
ly: % recommend that our legislature
petition Congress to amend the Organic
Act so as to remove the apparent limi-
tations upon our right to establish
county and municipal government with
elective boards; CD draw a county act
providing for elective boards, and con-
form it's provisions to the systems of
our States and Territories, and provide
that the same shall not go into effect
until after it's ratification by Congress;
90 draw a county act carrying in it
the power of the Governor to nominate
all boards We can conduct such a
system until Congress amends the Or
ganic Act. Then the succeeding legis-
1ature can amend our county act, I'M
less our people decide to maintain our
county system permanently under APP
pointment by the Governor.
1--WE shall have to decide before we
get much further in our work what
course we shall pursue, and we should
invite opinions from every source upon
these propositions.
'tAnd this brings up an important fac
tor in our work, namely, the co-opera-
ton of the Governor. This commission
has adopted the plan of inviting sug-
gestions and help from every quarter.
Any citizen, no matter whom, can give
us his views, and if they commend
themselves to us, we will use them. If
that be true of the citizen, it applies
also to the Governor. Our work must
be reported to the legislature through
him, and conference with him in the
course of our proceedings will have the
effect of preventing any differences of
opinion between us upon the final result
of our work.
Again 1 think we should consult
with our Delegate to Congress, Prince
Kuhio. He is in a position to advise us
as to how far we should go in the mat
ter of seeking congressional action: and
we will be interested in his views upon
the character of our act, whether it
should be simple or comprehensive.
''I desire it to be distinctly under
stood, that my views are not final. I
have come to this work with a virgin
mind. Since drew the Long Municipal
Act, over a year and half ago, I have
done no work of this kind, until I sat
down to the preparation of this state
ment. Doubtless many views now held
by me will either be modified or chang
ed, as we discuss these matters from
week to week, and are brought face
to face with questions both of law and
policy.
Whatever act we draw, whether for
congressional ratification or not, I ia
vor having a simple one, and having it
follow, as closely as possible, our pres
ent system of government. Our people
are familiar with it, and their represen-
tatives can conduct it without having
to learn it, except in parts.
There should be five full f1edged
counties, namely: Oahu, Maui, Kauai,
and. because of it's size and widely scat
tered population, two on Hawaii. The
Leper Settlement should remain sub
ject to the general jurisdiction of the
Board of Health, but with a limited
county government, which should be
provided for in a separate act.
And [ fully concur with our Chair
man in the opinion that such matters
as taxation. license. etc, should be
dealt with in separate acts.
1.-THE board of Supervisors should be