Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-09-23

ward system WOQ10 MAKE IulS CHoASSN
convention the most disastrous vista
ton Honolulu has ever had outside OF
pestiIence. To me it il unthinkable
that the delegates should commit
such folly.
The present number OF supervisors,
with or without a mayor in addition,
is exactly right for local conditions as
well as for continuing the present
method of commission committee man
agement, which Is developing incfeas-
ing efficiency the longer Il Is pursued
With the chairman OF each committee
the managing director of q depart
ment or group Of departments, and
the membership OF the several com
niittees inteElockings practically al
danger Of department grab-games Is
avoided: That there IS no danger, IN
the eiection-at.large plan in vogue, OF
any section being neglected has PROOF
in the statement made TO me Witnin
the past few days by the supervisor
who accidentally happens to be the
only one living in the fifth district,
that since the charter came into force
the fifth district has never had fairer
or more liberal treatment than It Is
receiving from the present board
l would respectfully submit that the
convention is absolutely without war
rant from the people for making any
radical changes in the present system
Of city government. That only q per
cent of the registered voters thought.
worth while to vote at the charter
election, with q certainly much less.
uroportion of what may be called the
business element taking any interest
whatever in the affair, shows that the
community as whole IL fairly Wen
satisfied with the present charter. An
other evidence or public satisfaction Is,
the fact that majority OF the super
Ivisors returned at last election served
upon former boards since the charter
came into effect, II there had been
primary law, from the first. in all prob.
ability there would have been two or
three members, with all the adFan-
tages of cumulative experience. serN
ing on. everyone Of the four boards
elected under the existing charter
As to the initiative. referendum and
recall, I Consider all TO be n0thipg but
barnaeles upon representative lnstitu-
lions. Al term Of two years for all
elective officials, with the existent pro-
vision for Impeachment, makes the re-.
callsunnecessary and, with its liability
to abuse, undesirable. As for the inl-
ttatiVe and referendum. IL Is time
enough to think about them when you
have a beard Of supervisors that viii
dfsregard reputable demand for partlc-
3uIar legislation or for the repeal Of
measures that have become obviously
out of tune with public sentiment the
idea of having measures enacted By
popular vote IN the undigested state
III which they may come from the
hand Of any casual craftsman is re-
pugnant to all ideas of deliberate Les
islation.
Finally, with regard TO the non-pa
tisan idea, /. believe its adoption would
simply put It Ia the power Of disreput
able interests to swing elections The
honest rivalry OF parties and their dis
eipline will give larger scope OF
choice to the electorate and create the
enthusiasm that Is necessary 70 de-
stroy indifference. In the independ-
ent voter rests the best hopes of Sc.
curing real bipartisan results includ-
ing the punishment Of the public sery,
ant who will play politics IN the exer-
else OF his duties. 3
/. In this connection + wish to de-
nounee the views Of Mr.. Achi, where
he said that II takes six months or
year for supervisor to take proper
hold Of his duties; and again where
he has asserted that the last Six
months of a term Is always devoted 70
the playing Of politics. In the case OF
the first board Of supervisors every
public, service in its Jurisdiction was
in flil swing the first week OF It's
existence, and within q few months
some OF the most progressive meas
ures Honolulu has known had been
enacted. In, the last six months OF us
term, including the election PERIOD,
there was not the slightest deviation,
from the regular program Of work. ex-;
cepting that funds were found await
able-with a handsome balanee Tor the.
succeeding board assured-to pave
Fort street between King and Hotter
streets with hituIithic; and to con.
struet a. permanent roadway over two
of the, worst sections OF the belt road.
these at a cost of 100000. One OF
these places, it5may be mentioned, had
been known as menace, 70 life ana
,tnnb- of man and. beast for halt q
century (see P. c., A.. Renaissance OF
so years ago in late Sunday edition..
vet none of the managers" under
monarchy. provisional government, re-
Dublic and territory had ever COPIED
with the problem. It surely will be
admitted as pretty decent politics TO
have sealed up this trap and made an
everlasting highway over its site.
In conclusion, let me say that the
present charter has not prevented the
existing city government from setting