Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-01-24
JANUARY "a, 1911
of the local government.

have heard before.
When the city and county law was |
first framed, the arguments presented
in the Legislature were for centraliz-
ing the authority of government in the
Mayor of the city. We believe it was
Senator w. 0, Smith who convinced
the neople that such was the most
modern idea as worked out by the
latest and most approved charters,
We are not prepared to dispute
what the most modern charters do,
but we know that in the practical
working out, the enthusiasm behind
the up~to-date theories varies accord
ing to whose OK is gored.
For instance, it was assumed when
the present law was framed that the
candidate who was wanted would be
elected Mayor to show the city that
it was for the we'll being of the pop
ulace and the property holders for
him to be the one official whom the
people should hold responsible, let
the person and character of other
members of the city government be
anything that might happen along.
But the expectations did not carry.
No sooner was the election held
than the lineup of the Supervisors
and Mayor made it necessary to turn
around and try to prove that the Sill
pervisors should have, and of right,
had more authority than the Mayor.
The wrangle was long and ut times
vociferous. The community became
weary. of it.
The fact was, that partilanship
stepped in and the party that created
| the law was not ready to take its own
medicine.
This is not referred to in spirit
of criticism but merely as a plain
brutal historical fact. 1t should be
considered in any calm discussion on
the form Of our local government.
Right now it seems best that the
Supervisors should contine to hold
controlling hand in the affairs of
the city government. That is what
they are doing under the present law
and it seems to work out we'll. Why
change? 1t is the Governor who pro-
posed the change 1t is not a demand
from the people. He proposes a revo-
luton and the people have only tt
take it ii it comes. They have no
called for it.
Bulletin readers will pardon VI
! if we are entirely frank and express
the purely nonpartisan opinion tina
there would be no thought Of supper
for the Governors scheme if the May
or of the city were Republican AM
the Supervisoral majority Democratic
Partizanship is at the bottom O
the backing the Governor might ge
He is merely working out a theory.
The Bulletin believes the cit
of Honolulu is better off in the hand
of the Republicans whether they az
in the Mayors chair or the SuperyiS
ors'. But at the same time we believ
that the Territory should go might
slow in adopting the new fads of COY
? eminent that have been worked OF
, Ia.
to deal with something not yet sal
1 died upon this city and not likely
be under the present form of the Gil
and county law, namely, organize
graft.
The Bulletin believes that if Il
Mayor of this city were John Lane I
j. NJ. Dowsett or George Smithie
o Governor Frear would not be makir
e the proposal to wipe out the Mayor
J. Office with its centralized authori
d that has become a nonentity.
G And we cannot fail to record Il
If conviction that radical revision of Il
city and county law is mighty po
II way to get men out of Office, ev'
n those twice elected by ever SO smt
e a margin.
o Rather than saddle the city wi
II experimentation in practically a nc
y form of government, the B lie Il
C would suggest that attention be Civ
to perfecting the present law witho
J. revolutionizing everything.
l. 1t should be remembered that it
d quite within the possibilities of t
Is future that under the centraliz
r Board of Supervisors scheme a sol
Y Democratic majority might be elect
and then the government would :"
is to the dogs" and no possible che
" could be held on it through any