The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-12-06
OUR GOVERNMENT
IS 'HALF-BAKED"
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err, If it is thought desirable to separ-
,atei our municipal elections from the
congressional and legislative election it
could be accomplished by having the
respective elections in alternate years.
al do not believe that the hold of
the regular party organizations on mu-
nicipal elections can be broken merely
by legislating in a non-partisan pri-
mary, but it may be shaken. The Aus
tralian ballot system which has been
in force in these Islands since long be-
fore annexation, until it was amended
at the last session of the legislature,
provided for u non partisan ballot. That
is to say, there was nothing on the of
fetal ballot TO show what political par
ty any candidate belonged to or had
been nominated by. But that has not
prevented the organization and main
tenance of the national parties upon
the lines on which they are operated on
the mainland. Non-partisan movements
are very useful al times. Under eX-
IRENE conditions they may become quite
necessary, but as mere temporary eX-
pedients The very nature of our ma
tional system calls for the maintenance
of regularly orgaTTz-d PARTIES, and if
the voters of city cease to divide on
national party lines they wall, except
as an occasional temporary expedient,
divide in some less healthy and less
desirable way, as, for instance, upon
race, religious or social lines.
"The idea that seems to flourish in
a. lr1f oil
without any opposing organizations
and, when election day comes, vote into
Office only the 4best men, is lacking in
practical sense. For an insular and
fractional community such as our, I
| would say, by all means, adopt the
partisan primary, and keep mp the ma
tional party organizations.
Not Necessary.
GAS TO the initiative and referon.
| dunn, it seems TO me thnt they are not
absolutely essential in a commission
form of government and that an expert
ment with them in Honolulu might very
well be postponed for while. The re-
call, however, would seem TO be neoes-
sary in commission charter, and ii
ought not TO be made too difficult to
put into effect. The only possible sub.
stituto for it that can think Of would
be provision prohibiting the reelection
Of officers, the term Of Office not ex-
ceeding two years. The reason why one
or the other provision should bc adopt
ed will appear in n moment,
Short Ballot Feature.
"This brings us 10 note the principal
characteristic and distinguishing foa'
ture Of commission government, aud
that lies ia the short ballot, Under the
short ballot system, II We should adopt
~ instead Of voting for dozen or
more candidates for municipal Once, an
tho way from mayor 20 deputy sheriff,
We would vote for nh0ut one'half that
number, OF probably Ave commissioners
pi pupnn lsulai nI whatever thri may
Boo called, one ~ whom w0uld hr drdg
naiei mayer aud an auditor, Tho All
miniulmiire onlrru, such as ihr elrrk'
| treasurer attorney ana hhuflW Ruuli
hn appointed hg ihe commissioners
iIpu the 500 ain readily ESQ ihui che
shple patronage Af ihn fliY govern
lnpm ll rui lnia lhe hands W ihr fum.
mlhsianeis ro lhpi lbn naY pnula hs
maif flpHl fpf 90 NJ commissioners
aha mal Do He miuiri a. build up a