Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-01
Interesting Suggestions Made
by W. !. Bryan in Talk
Befor( MaSSmeetinu


The foIIowig paper by Prof. w. A
Bryan was re d before a gathering O
citizens at lass meeting in the pub
lie library onfTIesday evening, Janu
airy IL. The miss meeting was call
ed by the Give Federation to discus:
the proposed shrt-baliot charter fol
Honolulu. PrT. i6ryan's paper is i;
comment on MS plan Of organization
I already outiined!as we'll as contain
ing some neutrality-suspicious.. Among
these are the "Hsle tax"
If the city andPounty of Honolulu
IS TO nave a neWcharter at all, it is
a very lmpOrtantmatter that all OF
Our citizens Shout have hand in its
making and an Unrest in its ultimate
success as an inrument for loca,
sef-goVernment. 90 much time and
thought cannot bi bestowed ON the
consideration of le features which
suen a document lhould include as
wen as exclude. le people general
ly who will ultimaty be governed h,
it should know in Idvance what the
nature of the new tarter will be and
should be in pospn to inform the
recently formed clfter committee
Tor It's guidance, d some main fea
lures they Will exptt to find in the
charter when it cons hack to then
for ratification shoq a charter bill
be passed by our laslature.
1t is with a VieNto securing an
open, free eXpressid of opinion or
THIS important subJe that the Civic
Federation, in accoE with its well.
known policy. has He'd this opeI
meeting which is iHevery sense e
town meeting Of citias for the con
sideration of this m3er.
Z As a member of II Civic Fedora.
tion,s charter comrniSe and as a
member of the genal committee
called together by Gdrnor Frear, ]
have Eeen asked by e other mem.
bers Ct the Federation Committee to
review the outline cHter recently
ordered printed by TIL organization
for circulation as a BITS for discus.
sion. To the brief skeion there out.
lined, / am asked to apsnd notes and
such other pertinent inter as have
led me to favor the paEular form OF
charter there in sketcd for this
community over any onof the many
other forms that have cen adopted
elsewhere. 1t is hopedhat the dis
cussion which may fow will be
helpful in formulating pinion and
serve as guide to Mr. hcKaye. Mr..
McChesney and myself to what ]
particular features our pnstituency |
expects US to stand for Tiny part We
may have in forInulatiIt the new
draft which will go befo1he leglsla.I
tire. ~ - ~
In the beginning I wisIo say that |
the cornerstone of the pi proposed
was the sincere desire the part
of the writer to offer hrter that
would make HoroIulu a ke and IN.
dependent city-a city Whe the peo4l
pie would lie permitted to ercfse the
natural inherent and talienabIe
right of local sef-goTer1hnt: and
would derive the full bent of such
powers, duties and responsibilities as
fall upon them as citizens. 10 attain
that end I holI that we list have
an efficient government; bSge mist
not lose sight of the educah. deye1-
opment and well-being of tlRitizen-
fer that, after all, is the obj of gov.
eminent,
Must Get General Approval
Part Of that education csists in
studying, formulating, accehg and Il
directing the form of goverhnt nm.
der which one must live. Ifbnolulu
is TO nave new charter, / be-
lieFe 1t Will, 1T must be one bit will
lie acceptable to the majok-and
that means to the Hawaiia1eopIe,
since this is>their native cousy and
as a group they outnumber aEother
group of our highly-complex ttizen-
ship. This is Hawaii and in alters
of local government the natl peo-
pie still have the final say. rea.
son of their numbers they COM the
electorate. Upon them as aroun !,
rests the responsibility for go gov. ,
eminent not only in Honolulu Ha.
wall, though the burden of Term )
ment may fall elsewhere.
Any improvement in our cftyihar- ;
ter will be. traceable to them d for ;
failures and short comings-th$wiu !
lie held accountable both at honAnd r
on the mainland. For these reals N
favor the return of any chartehat t
may be adopted to the electorafor T
final ratification, preferring as Il to s
rely on the approval of a major of t
the voters in important matterske q
this rather than on the wisdolof, I
their elected representatives, hover v
competent they may be. The chi r S
We are to consider was, there. v
drawn with a view to it's being W. a
tarily adopted by the people, ife f
plan had sufficient merit to comm d
it over any other that might q
offered "a
The heart of all short ballot en- q
ers is the council, the property of +
city and its powers. We have
gested that the council should y
Of FIVE members (includ d
the mayor all to be elected for fg r,
years. To establish continuity in -
council two commissioners should -
elected biennially and the commits sic -