The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-12-17
ORGANIZING FOR
ACTION ON
CHARTER
Committee Formed to Garry on
Campaign for a Modern
Government.
NEW MEMBERS APPOINTED
Officers Elected and Work Is
Started in Progressive
Fashion.
NEW MEMBERS APPOINTED

With twenty-five of the twenty-five
committee members appointed by vari-
GUS organizations in attendance in the
office of Governor Frear yesterday af-
ternoon, the campaign for new city
charter containing provisions for an
elective commission form of govern
ment was successfully launched. Gov
ernor Frear presided as temporary
chairman and called the meeting to or
der, explaining the plan and scope of
the committee and outlining the work
to be accomplished.
Following suggestions by the Cover
nor, j. P. Cooke moved that a larger
representation be given the committee
and that two Hawaiians and two re-
preventative Portuguese be appointed
as members of the committee. This
was carried and the Governor appoint
ed NJ. c. Pacheco and A. ID. Castro
for the Portuguese, and w. p, Jarrett
and John c. Lane for the Hawaiian
committeeman at large.
r.. w. Single called attention to the
few lawyers there were on the commit
tee and suggested the names of three.
1t was finally asked to have the Bar
Association appoint three members,
and Judge Whitney got in touch with
President Frank Thompson, who named
Judge A. A. Wilder, A. L. Castle and
w. T. Rawlins to represent the asso-
citation
Upon the suggestion of W. r. Far
rington. the Governor was authorized
to appoint committeeman at large to
represent the growing number of native
born Chinese citizens.
Then the committee organized with
the election of officers. Governor Frear
was elected chairman unanimously;
Judge A. A. Wilder, Democrat, vice
chairman; John Effinger, Democrat
secretary, and ]. p. Cooke, Republican
treasurer Mr.. Cooke said he would
accept the treasmership just to get
square with Brother Gait Mr.. Gait
who had chance to get square witt
Brother Cooke first, looked rather sad
1t was left to the chairman and Off
GERS of the Charter Committee to ap
point subcommittee for drafting 6
charter for Honolulu, for publicity anc
for legislation
DR.. Scudder's Suggestion.
DR.. Doremus Scudder made an ex
cellent suggestion during the discus
sion which followed on various forms
of commission government. He saiC
he believed it would be good thinl
for each member of the committee t.
get in touch with one or more cite
and secure their charters and maxi
themselves familiar with the various
provisions in order to be in position
20 talk intelIigently upon them.
This suggestion was adopted and Doc
tor Scudder chose Sacramento, Cali
fornia, which has recently adopted
new charter; J. p. Cooke took Lynn
Massachusetts; Prof. w. A. Bryan ha
Grand Junction and Colorado Springs
Colorado; A. L. MacKaye will tackl
Los Angeles and Long Beach, CalifoT
mia, and the State of New Jersey; w
R. harrington win wrestle with tn
Madison, Wisconsin refusal to adopt
commission charter, and George T
Smith will eventually explain the gov
eminent of Des Moines, Iowa.
Governor Frear's opening address il
calling the meeting to order was
clear exposition of the work of tn
committee and practical outline of tn
eampaign, and was as follows:
|
"Geutlemen; one of the most hope
full signs of the times is the increasing
interest. which is manifest on ever
hand, in our city and county govern
ment.
"This is a matter of importanc
alike to those who hold Office and +
those whose servant they are, the pee
Pile. We are interested not only in get
ting the worth of our money which W
pay for the support of the city an
county, but also in making this city a
ideal place as possible to live in.
"The city and county is now spend
ing annually more than 100000, an
perhaps in the very near future vii
be spending round million. Thos
who hold zee want to have a ehanc
TO make good in producing the expect
cd results with this money; they don
want to be hampered or tied down b.
red tape and unnecessary clogs of on
thing or another. On the other hand
tn, voters are interested in seeing tina
their money is well spent and that W
shall have n city to be proud of.
"The question il not how poor tn
present City and County Act is, blu
how good a law we can get. Each ac
thus far passed here, think, has bee
an Improvement on its predecessor TIL
first act was knocked out by the 81
preme court. The second act establish
ing county government was a great i'm
provement on that, Then came the Cit
and County Act, which was, think
an Improvement in number Of re
speets over the second county act.
think that the present City and Coun
ty Act is an advance on many of tn
acts and charters on the mainland o
the old form.
Go a Step Further.
"The question now is whether W
should 90 step further and get some
thing better, if there is anything bet
ter. We know that on the MAINLAND
there are what are known as the oil
and the new form of city government
The old form mas not given the desiEe
results. The new form seems 10 be do
ing this in noticeable way. OF course
: in the last analysis, we have got to de