The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-02-17

lickly for the common ends of pub
to say that the recent legislatures
redit to the islands. The last one |
seems likely to do very well also.
c0oooScoc0oocoo0caoOcoooce
ever, that the reform did not extend
far enough; the choice of the people
was confined to nominees, who were
often, if not generally, selected in large
measure by persons practically self
appointed OF guided mainly by selfish
interests; it became evident that in
order to accomplish the desired object
the nominees as well as the officers
must be chosen freely by the people
themselves, and now similar great
wave of reform in the selection of no
minees is sweeping over English
speaking peoples, with the result that
the so-called direct primary is being
adopted in one State after another in
quick succession, the object being to Sc
cure within the party the same safe
guards and freedom of expression
which the Australian ballot system
was intended to secure within the en-
tire body of voters. Its purpose is
not to do away with party spirit or
party organization, but to give great
er effect to the loyal party spirit of
the many and less to the selfish mo-
tives of the few. 1t is, rather, an in
centive to party activity of the right
kind, for it. tends to remove obJec-
tions, which many would otherwise
have, to participate in politics. 1t can
not be expected under any conditions
to furnish a complete remedy, for IL
cannot alter human nature, and the
extent of it's benefits under particular
conditions can be ascertained only Dy
trial Its need is not so great here as
in many other places and it is expen-
siye. but it is a step in the right Ill
rection and a trial may well be mace.
Permanent Register.-Under exist
ing laws, a complete new register OF
voters must be made before each gen
eral election This involves unneces-
sary expense to the Government and
Inconvenience to voters. | recommend
that provision be made for perman-
ent register, in which only necessary
changes need be made before each
general election, and for the correc-
ton of which only those voters who
have changed their voting precincts
need apply. The saving in expense
would offset in some measure the ad-
ditional expense involved in the exc
cution of the direct primary law, if one
should be enacted.
j If the foregoing recommendations are
carried out, number of incidental
changes will be required in order to
harmonic the laws upon this sub
I iect
Tenure and Pay, Boards of Regis
tration and Inspectors.-The members
of the boards of registration and in
spectors number upwards of 250; they
are usually selected during a short
period and the desired care cannot
always be exercised moreover, the ap-
pointments are made with a view to
giving representation to different poll
tical parties, and changes are often
made here in party affiliations; inspec-
tors usually serve only a day or so
once in two years recommend that
the tenure of inspectors be changed
so that new boards may be appointed
at least once IN two years, and that
the terms OF office of the boards OF
registration be changed at least so
that the terms of different members
may expire in successive years, thus
making more frequent changes in ap-
pointees possible and at the same
time maintaining the boards of reg
istration as continuing bodies.
The pay of the inspectors may well
be reduced; the service is short and
is one which might well be perform
ed in part as a public duty Finan-
cial conditions are such that retrench-
ment should be made wherever prac-
ticable
Districts.-The territorial and coun-
ty districts should be made to cores
pond At present there are overlaps.
At the same time Il may be well to
consider whether the boundaries of GER
tain districts ought not be altered in
consequence of changed conditions
For instance, Waianae-ul1a and WalH-
ava, on Oahu, are becoming well set
tied and are naturally in closer rela-
tion with the district of Eva than
with the other populated portions OF
the districts of Waianae and Waialua,
especially now that they are connect
} ed with EVA by rail. The people