Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-28

CLAIMS KIN
TO WALDRON
Defines efficiency and De-
nounces "Bunco Came as
Paved in Local Politics

Fred Waldron says repeat effici-
ency like a parrot All right. If
that's so, we're twins in our relation
10 the local political problem" said
w. r. Harrington, referring to Mr..
WaIdron's letter In the Advertiser
this morning.
Lets get down to what we deem
efficiency. --.-
In the first place TO secure efficient
government we must have efficient
politics Good politics is good govern
ment.
In order to be efficient in politics
it is necessary to interpret correctly
and incisively the issues of the hour.
President Wilson has said with abso-
lutte wisdom that politics is interpre-
tation. RI
in my opinion the issue of the
hour is not what we are paying the
mayor and the supervisors, and the
other public servants of this city and
county, but it is rather what We are
getting for our money. 1t is not the
bestowal of charity; it is rather full
value for the dollar that is expended.
In order to get this full value we
are told that we must have business
men in office. Being interpreted, this
means we want men who know their
business, and are willing to do it,, We
don't want men who can say to us
when we criticise them, What's the
matter with you? Are we not giving
our time for nothing?" Every man
who goes into public Office must ex.
pect criticism He must get his prin,
cipal reward from the joy of the game
of doing. He is entitled to all the
money his position properly filled is
worth. 49,. -. :"
TO get men who know their bust.
ness in office, We must first have eff.
cient politics.
IF Mr.. Waldron will stop to think,
his proposal of non-partisan ticket
at the present time is hopelessly in.
efficient, because non partisan candi-
dates must secure twenty per cent Of
the vote to secure place. The Pro-
gressive or Lahui parties are practi-
cally the only ones through which
Wdldron's non-partisan scheme would
work unless it is possible to do some
thing like this: Pick candidates
from the lists Of all parties AMI form
an independent campaigning organize
tion to carry those particular men
through. That is my first suggestion
of efficiency gained from what very
little / have learned in the rank and
file of practical politics. And / want
to say right here that not half SO
many foolish suggestions come from
the rank and file as from so-ealled
business men who say they hate poll.
tics and only pretend to get into the
game cnce in while in a two-year
period. Then they do it with their
noses turned up, as if they smelt
something -, p.
"Then after this plan of campaign
Is outlined, set upon a few definite,
clear-eut details of what should be
done-not what should not be done.
Build up; don't tear down. Center
on which is considered most neces.
sary. Don't try to finish it all in one
fell swoop because you won't do it,
you know you won't, and the voter
knows you won't
go forward. Be unafraid and I'm.
ashamed Talk to the voter as You
" al III YOuf
own business and you'll fiis that he
will respond to the kind of stuff you
give him. Efficiency in public life
means treating the voter three hun.
dred and sixty-four days of the year
as well as you do the day before cleo.
tion-and that means you have got to
be honest with him the day before
election, -.
The bunco game In politics has
been played here almost continually
since annexation And it's a fizzle,
Waldron's salary scheme is only an.
other phase of the old bunco game,
You promise the voter you will give
him something for nothing, and that's
unbusinesslike right from the drop of
the hat,
The times are changing. It is true
that We are threatened with military
commission government, but the rea-
son for it is that we have not used
good business methods in CARRYING
out our government, and the cause
for that in my opinion is that many
people are unwilling to change with
the times. The responsibility for con-
ditions is by no means with the So
called ignorant voter. / have found
now and again that a voter in Manoa
can be heap sight more ignorant of
than a voter in Kakaako. y