The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-03-15
SIMPLER GOVERNMENT.

The cheapest scheme of government
for Hawaii would be the Territorial
form, simply and honestly run. But
single central government of any kind
is opposed by the outlying islands on
the ground, chiefly, that 1t would spend
the bulk of the common income upon
Honolulu and oahu. Such a govern
ment they think, would be so Impress
ed by needs near by that it would over
look those at a distance Besides 1t
does not get close enough to the dis
tant voter and property-owner to con-
vince him that he has any part in 1t
except to stand his share of the eX-
penses.
1t was out of this state of mind that
the idea of counties sprang. But the
brief experience which Hawaii has had
with a county act demonstrates two
facts which have shaped an adverse
public opinion. one is that counties
increase taxation; the other is that the
present electorate, having an ignorant
and hungry majority, cannot give good
government in return for such increase.
1t Is Furthermore borne upon the peo-
pie that the responsible men in Hawaii,
whose numbers hardly exceed 1900,
are too few to support such a system of
government as is required by populous
and rich States. The county idea, there
fore, in the form illustrated here. is
now in bad odor among taxpayers in
Guiding those who feel the need of some
form of local administration. People
still want home rule but they want it
to be honest, easily handled and econo-
mical.
To meet this need two correspondents
of the Advertiser have proposed to take
from the Territorial government nearly
all but its skeleton form, retaining the
Governor, Secretary, Delegate and
Judiciary and certain common institu
tons like the Territorial prison and
possibly the police, and abolishing the
Legislature. Having done this they
would organize Hawaii into a single
county, with each principal island sub
organized as a township and having a
supervisor, the township to also have
an unsalaried board of trustees for
local administrative and legislative
work of which board the super
visor would be chairman ex-ofiicio
These boards would levy taxes with
in legal limitation and spend
them on their own townships, also
providing pro rata for the sup
port of the Territorial government
and for payments on the public debt.
The township trustees, being unsala-
ried, would probably be responsible and
philosophical men. The supervisor |
might be fairly paid and made into a
sort of executive for his township. He |
and his colleagues from the other is
lands would constitute board to meet |
at the capitol twice Il year, at no extra |
compensation, to adjust matters of
common concern.
Such a plan to succeed would need
considerable thinking out in detail, but
it seems to afford a working basis for
the simple and economical government
which Hawaii must have or go broke"
AT any rate it is worth considering.
That it is as American in its form as
some of the systems of administra
ton which exist and do well under the |
Stars and Stripes is easily proved. The |
only interests it would hurt, so far as
this paper can now see are those of
the grafters and job-chasers.
The Advertiser would be glad to pub
lish communications on this subject.