Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-26
COMPARISON OF AMERICAN AND
EUROPEAN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS
OUTLINED REMEDY DIFFICULTIES
COUNTY GOVERNMENT
RIGHTS. PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES POSSIBLE

no man of affairs would employ any
enc but the mos; skillful and highly
trained physician to attend member
of his family; why then should not
we as citizens exercise the same judg-
ment in choosing officials to admins
ter the affairs of our sick city?
An expert is needed man well
paid, whose office is not dependent
rpon political fortunes, but who IS
certain of his position as long as his
services are satisfactory.
This suggests our second demand.
Secondly, We must demand civil
service for all municipal officers and
trained employees. A small step in
the right direction is the civil ser
vice" provision inaugurated by Sena-
tor Writ, and 1t is to be hoped that
the unquestioned ability OF the men
composing the Civil Service Commits
sion will be sufficient to make a mark
ed success Of this first trial This they
can do IL politics play no part in their
deliberations. This takes us to de-
mand three.
Third, we must demand that party
politics be entirely eliminated in mum
lcipal affairs. To this end municipal
elections should be held not oftener
that every four years and not az the
same time as cur legislative elections
they should be made entirely non par
tisan and public opinion should be so
influenced during the next 10 months
that provisions to that effect would
have to be Incorporated in next years
party platforms and that the coming
legislature would have to pass 4 suit
ablo law.
Fourth, the commission form OF
government should be adoDted for this
municipality. Commissioners should
be elected to serve without pay. They
should have legislative and appointive
powers and act in manner similar
to that of board OF directors OF a
corporation. The city manager to be
responsible to them alone, in him to
be vested executive and adminlstra-
tive powers.
The federal government Is expend.
ing in this territory many millions OF
collars every year, and there are very
nearly 10000 soldiers stationed on this
island. II rumors are correct, this
number will be greatly supplemented
and probably doubled. understand
that soTe people believe that thel
military and federal governments
should have some influence on local
municipal affairs, since very large
of our population Is com
posed of u. S. soldiers and employees.
1t the public shares this belief, then
the territorial governor and tori one
of the high military men stationed
here might be made ex-officio mem. /
bers sof such q committee, possiblyE
without a vote.
Fifth: Give the municipal govern
ment all the responsibilities and all
the freedom possible j
In my opinion there are hut two
ways out of our municipal difficulties,
either we do away with the county
government entirely, or we give It all
the rights, privileges and responsible
tiles in our power to give. Give q COM
mission as outlined above, our strict !
est confidence; give it power to Is
sue bonds for the purchase of incom-
bearing public service institutions, to
grant and cancel franchises, to con- /
denim property hand over to It all
those public institutions serving the
now under the territorial
government and give 1t full power
over all departments and department
leads. Make elections mon partisan"
Do not pay the commissioners a sal
airy, but make the position one of
honor to be bestowed by the public
upon men of quality only. | am GER
tain that under those conditions every
business man in the city would be just /
as anxious to serve this community /
as he is now anxious to keep away. |
His personal interests would demand
it.
believe that a revolution of our /
system is necessary and Inn |
minent. 1t is inevitable in the long !
run, because circumstances will be !
stronger than all objections.
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