The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-21

hundred men had lost their self con-
trol, were attempting TO take the law
into their own hands and were de-
stroying property of great value. the
feet that there was a military organ
ization backed by the moral influence
and power of the whole Government
was a potent factor for order. The sum
of $500 year is a small one to pay
Cor the many advantages which the
Territory gains from the work of the
men who have voluntarily enrolled in
the ranks of the militia service.
PRIMARY ELECTION LAW.
The object of such a law is usually to
secure an expression from the voters
rather than from Their delegates; to
prevent the voter from Influencing the
action of more than one political party;
to give the scattered non-partisan yot-
ers equal opportunity with the organ
ized p4rties to express their wishes.
It contemplates two elections, under
control of the officials of the cOmmu-
nifty: First, a vote in groups or parties
in order TO make selection Of nomt,
nees from each group; second, a gen.
eral vote on those thus nominated, in
order to make a final selection from
them of the officials desired
If such a plan is to be adopted in Ha-
wall the expenses of election should
first be reduced, and then be equitably
prorated between the Territory and
the Counties in proportion to the num-
Der of officials TO be elected for each.
SURVEY.
Some intelligent citizens have ex-
pressed curiosity in regard to the work
of the Survey Department and the ne
cessitv for the large appropriat for
that office. Others impatient at any
delay, suggest that efficiency would be
secured by furnishing separate survey
bureaus in each of the different de-
partments.
We might just as well supply each
department with separate attorneys
and subject our community to the re-
suits of their separate conclusions, Of
ten conflicting, with the resulting in
consistency and increased litigation,
that would also involve a greater ex-
pense.
The correct remedy is larger appro-
Eriations, with an increase of compe-
tent men on the office staff. No great
er error could be committed than to
leave the delicate work of settling flu
ture boundaries to independent bu-
reaus 1t would cause much duplica-
ton of work and great confusion.
The Survey Department is called up
on for assistance, not only by all
branches of every department. but fur
nishes considerable information free to
individuals, thus fulfilling its function
as a public service, with resulting
economy and a minimum of confusion
to the community as a whole.
This does not mean that our survey
ors never commit errors nor that the
department is without imperfections.
But, by Capitalization, at least errors
can be reconciled and a system i'm
posed with the least possible duplica-
ton of work. with a head office for the
deposit of valuable data in mass.
1t is safe to say that any unprejudfc-
ed committee investigating the work of
the Survey Office would report that it
furnishes one of the best examples of
a wise expenditure of the taxpayers
money.
Homesteads, town lots, remnants,
forest reserves, water sources, street
grades, road locations, school lots, all
depend upon this department for the
description in their title. The extent
and development of any land policy is
limited by the work that it is possible
to accomplish in the Survey Depart
ment Our Board of Education is now
looking to the Survey Office for a de-
scription of every school lot in the
Territory. Already forty-six have been
surveyed. 1t is a surprise and a dis
grace to find that thousands of dollars
of public property has been located on
school lots without first securing ade-
quate descriptions of them. The pres
ent superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton found only an incomplete list of
the real property under his department
in the possession of the Board of Edu-
cation.
No large tract of land can be intel
ligently handled by the Commission of
Public Lands in the common interest
of all until he has been furnished With
a detailed survey, classifying the area
as we'll as furnishing the boundaries.
The Commissioner of Public Lands has
for some time insisted upon this course,
and it is satisfactory to note that the
report to the President of a late Land
Commission for the United States OF
America insists that similar plan
should be adopted by the Federal Land
Office.
Retrenchment in the appropriations
for this office simply means the cur
failing of the usefulness of almost ev-
cry other branch of our government