The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-10-26
Government BY
Commission?
lnsular Cabinet May Be Formed
to Administer the
Islands.
THIS MAY AFFECT HAWAII
The Extra-Continental Lands to
Be Handled From
Washington.
THIS MAY AFFECT HAWAII

tories and dependencies to be handled
from Washingtonf Are we to have
what may prove to be not very
dissimilar from government by com.
missionf
The Boston Transcript in an arti-
Gle published in that paper this month
outlines the plan which it says Is being
considered by those in authority at
the national capital, and in many of
its features it does not differ very
greatly from commission government.
1t appears probable that in Territories
like Hawaii, where there are not so
many "problems to be solved, the
lines leading to Washington may be
allowed to hang slack, except at such
times as questions of great import.
ance arise. Then the conduct of af-
fairs will be taken over by the insu-
lar cabinet, as it is proposed to call
the new organization. This is what
the Transcript has TO say:
There are intimations to be found
in the columns of the press of the or
ganization in Washington of move
ment to promote the establishment of
new cabinet department to take
charge of the administration of our
possessions, with special reference to
those that are insular. The work of
supervision of our various dependen-
cies, both insular and continental, Is
now divided between several depart
ments. Thus Alaska and Hawaii, be-
ing Territories, are, like Now Mexico
and Arizona, under the supervision of
the secretary of the interior. The
Philippines and Porto Rico find the bu-
reau of insular affairs of tho war de-
partment their means of communities
ton with our government. Guam and
Tutuila are under the navy depart.
ment, and the existing arrangement by
the division of administrative ideas
prevents any unity of colonial man
agement if such is desirable. The
heaviest burden is carried by the bu-
reau of insular affairs, since the Phil
ippnes and Porto Rico present inf.
nitely more "problems than are
found in Alaska and Hawaii, GUAM
and Tutuila. The Philippines are to-
day largely self-governing by virtue of
the creation of the local legislature,
the link of authority with Washington
being the Philippine government, of
which the encouragement is the
| head. Porto Rico has also its legis-
| lature as well as its American admin.
istration.
In general, the effort of the United
States has been to apply, with such
notifications as local peculiarities de-
manded, the territorial system to our
possessions, but still, after this has
been done, there is left a zone into
which enter matters of the broader
political policy of direction of peoples
who are with us, but as yet not of us.
1t has become almost tradition with
us that in the beginning territory new
ly acquired shall be under the imme-
date supervision of the war depart
ment, a sort of ad interim direction
pending further organization. Such is
the status of the Philippines, the bu.
reau Of insular affairs being "A sort of
| agency of transmission and represen-
| tative of the islands in the administra-
tive councils at Washington. Porto
Rico, since March 4, has occupied a
somewhat similar status. The arrange
ment has worked well up to date in
keeping routine moving while in the
event of any disturbance or of any
contingency calling for immediate ac.
ton, the general powers of the govern
ment would be concentrated on the diff
ficulty. Beyond its ordinary authority
the government will be called upon to
lay its program before congress. While
therefore, convenience and unity of ad-
ministration may be pleaded, there is
no apparent urgency in the matter of
creating a new department.
New cabinet departments are always
more or less antagoniZed by the pop
ular feeling that the cabinet is already
big enough. This criticism, however, is
based, with many persons, upon false
idea of the place of the cabinet in our
political system That body is but a
council of the heads of the executive
departments; it never votes. The Presi-
dent is under no obligation to call for
its collective advice, nor is he under
any obligation to abide by that advice
if he solicits it. The meetings Of the
cabinet are simple conferences at which
there is an interchange Of views, the
executive naturally and properly seek
ing harmony Of all the departments of
which he his c0nstitutionally the SUI
perior, One more or one less executive
department would have little or no
effect on the course of our constitutional
development or on large lines of ma
tional policy. Therefore, IL probably
would matter little to the country gen
orally whether our possessions remain
n sphere Of activity divided between
several departments or are administered
| by one,
The proposed new department is gen
orally referred 10 as that of insulr
affairs. This will be "A peculiarly APP
proprinte title II IL be concerned with
the management Of our oxtra'continen'
tai territories or dependencies, Only
"A census of islands can determine tho
eract number that are under our juris.
dictiou, IN tho Philippines we are sup
p0sed 10 have Slil Islands aud islets.
| Tho Hawaiian group proper consists OF
| eighii Porto Rico has number Of de-
/ pendoneieg, besides Culehn ana Nler,
quos. Tuiulla h simply tho largest IA.
lHnd NJ many that own our sway in
Samoa First and last, reckoning a
large number " small Paelde Islands in