The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-20
COUNTY ACT DEBATED
BY LEADING CITIZENS
Continued from page IL


interested in the study of government
and political science. AS to the par
ticuIar form of a County Act that
would stand the fire of the courts ne
disclaimed any knowledge. He elabor-
ated on the question of supervisors by
election and appointment. This ques-
a county Board of Supervisors be elect
ed by the voters?
Prof. Scott said he would get beyond
his depth if he undertook to arrive at
a definite conclusion in the premises.
I'm reading the Organic Act I notice
that the Governor has the power to
appoint certain officials with the advice
and consent of the Senate, as well as
certains boards, including the Inn
migration, Educational, Health. etc,
etc. All these Boards appear to me to
be co-extensive with the entire area
of the territory. The Organic Act gives
the legislature power, if it sees fit, to
establish counties, towns and munich
palities, and provide for their govern
ment.
1.-THE Board of Education is cock
tensive with the functions of the area
of the entire territory, but if the legis-
lature sees fit to establish and provide
for counties. towns and municipalities
and provided Boards of Supervisors, the
functions of the latter would not be
co-extensive with the areas of the ter
ritory. I do not think it would be ra-
tional to give municipal or county gov
of aldermen are to govern a munich
pality, will the Governor appoint them?
From a rational standpoint that seems
to be ridiculous. If you give the Gov
ernor power to appoint Boards in the
islands you concentrate the power of
government more than it is now.
If the county act is passed it seems
to me rational to give the electorate
power to elect their supervisors.
81 say, get to work and frame your
act without reference to what position
Congress might take in the matter, and
put in the act the power to permit the
electorate to elect the supervisors. 1
believe Congress wished to give the
legislature power to determine whether
it was necessary to provide county
government.
LAS to whether the act should pro-
vide for the control of education, health
and road matters, I believe that in
America the political tendency is to
concentrate control rather than to dis
tribute, 1 should say the Board of
Health should be co-extensive with the
entire area of the Territory, and the
same with roads, bridges and wharves.
"On the educational proposition I
speak with considerable hesitancy.
There are some arguments in favor of
it and many against. If the wants of
the different localities were exactly the
same it would be one thing, and where
they are not precisely the same it is
another question. In place like Ho-
nolulu where there is concentration of
wealth and large numbers of school
children, it might be better to have
local control to a certain extent. But
if the counties take over the matter of
educational affairs. it seems to me they
viii have great difficulties. especially
in the poorer districts. In some re-
spects local control might work well
in Honolulu and HiIo
If there is any county, control of
schools think it should come about
slowly and not be pitchforked in.
In Waikiki they are now building
$4,000 schoolhouse, in town where
there are 1874 school children. 1t is a
waste OF money. 1t is like a Bishop