Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-09-23
'EPTEMBER %, 1918
AN ARGUMENT FOR STANDING PAT.

In long and careful statement elsewhere
IN this issue, Supervisor Daniel Logan opposes
radical revision of the city charter and points
with pride to the achievements under the city
and county form of government.
Most Of his facts will n0t4be. contradcted;
Of his conclusions may. His main argu-
mrnt seems to be that, because the city has
made a pretty good record under it's present
charter there should be no material change.
That such an argument is not conclusive IS
apparent at once A fairly good record in the
past is no reason why new methods should not
be adopted if they promise a better record in
the future. Furthermore, the history of the
county elections is a history of constant
change, based on general dissatisfaction of
voters with the results achieved by the pre-
i. vious boards. Whatever members of the boards
have thought of their own achievements, the
voters of Honolulu have demanded almost COM
piate changes. in personnel at each ELECTION. b
Supervisor Logan says that in a study. of the
commission and commission manager forms of
government and results reached in mainland
cities he has not been able to find any bene-
1iGiHl results from, the new plans which cannot
be duplicated by the record of Honolulu under
it's present mneh-belittled charter Possibly
the record can be duplicated; that it has been
duplicated few men who have personal kn0wl.
edge of progressive mainland municipalities
will contend. And it is to make progress cas-
Ter that the short ballot and, eity-manager
plans were conceived. ~ -+6it. .-.z,>1. >tlT<-
.sHThere is nothing in the present charter to
prevent the appointment of a city manager by
. the supervisors" Mr.. Logan points out True;
hut we have noticed no, inclination whatever
on this board or any other to name q city man..
ager, and it is pretty safe to say that none will
ever be named here under charter where it
is merely optional, unless in case of some great
public emergency where the businessmen of the
city take hold, as they did in Galveston and
Dayton and as in times past they have done in
Honolulu: furthermore so long as the city
is restricted in its choice of employees to men
who have resided here for year there would
never be a city manager named without the
interference of political Influences
Il would respectfully submit" continues
Supervisor Logan, that the convention is abb
solutely without warrant from the people for
making any radical changes in the present
system of city government r : >~t
In view Of the facts this position is so OBJ
yiously untenable that the only explanation is
that Supervisor Logan has forgotten that every
political platform enumerated just previous to
the last campaign called for charter revision.
The Republican, Democratic and Progressive
platforms explicitly demanded charter revision.
{ Supervisor Logan is Republican. He ran on
the Republican platforms The Republican
territorial platform pledged 4its members who
went to the Legislature empower, by proper
& Legislation, ethe people of Honolulu to revise
!. their charter at convention consisting of rep
resentatiyes to be. chosen by the people. The