Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-18
A CHANGE DEMANDED


Advocates of the short-ballot or elective com
mission form of govtrmtnt for Honolulu will
have to make strong showing to the Legislature
that opens tomorrow before the legislature will
move for such radical change in the municipal
system Such at least is the present outlook.
Legislators arriving from the other islands
manifest not only considerable uncertainty as to
just what Honolulu is asking but also consider
able doubt as to the wisdom of any change at
this time 1t is up to the special charter COM
mittee to put in some hard work for the next
sixty days, and the subcommittee on legislation
will not have an easy time convincing Republic
ans of the outside islands, not to speak of the
Democratic legislators.
AT the beginning of the legislature there is
evident a strong inclination on the part of a
number of Influential members from the other
islands to pass the responsibility for thechange
back To the electors of Honolulu themselves.
And this is not at all an unfortunate condition.
Home rule for cities that are large enough to de.
serve the title of cities is the ideal rule. Homo
lulu has been FESTIVE for years under the quasi
guardianship of the territory. The city has
shown an increasing desire to govern its own af-
fairs That desire is at the bottom of those pro-
visions in the proposed new charter which give
the city authority over waterworks, sewers and
other utilities. As matter of efficiency as well
.ae Of convenience, Honolulu should not have to
call upon the territory for legislation that right
fully should be handled as city ordinances.
Some Of the members of the legislature from
other islands argue that Honolulu's form of gov
ernment Is SO peculiarly and completely the con-
Germ cf this city alone that the proposed new
charter should be submitted to the people of Ho-
nolulu ID a plsbiscite or referendum vote, and
this Is quite likely to be the sense of the legisla-
tnrc The Democratic minority is certain to de-
mand some such plan. Andsthe Democratic mi
nority, together with Republicans from outside
islands, constitutes majority sufficient to put
the plan through.
There will be some opposition to any change
from the present system to shortballot system.
That is to be expected. However, those members
Of the legislature from other islands who just
coming for the 1913 session will soon realize that
the demand for a change, the demand for SIM
pler, more economical more directly responsible
sort Of city government, is not partisan de
mand Hundreds of Republican votes were cast
on this island for Democrats last fall for the
frank and outspoken reason that hundreds OF
Repu6iicsns we're thus protesting against intol-
erably wastefnl and inefficient local government.
The very form Of that government has helped to
perpetuate certain temporarily popular but weak
and inefficient men in effiee-
To ignore the plain lesson of last fall is to ig
nore to defeat the demand of the people for a
government run on more businesslike principles.
This demand has taken shape in the proposal for
an elective commission government 1t is now
up to the legislature.