The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-12-19

REGARDING Surveys

q
w nolulu is under way and white the question
of federal survey of the department Of education
is in status quo, waiting fot the advent of a new
Governor, it might be we'll for Honolulans to re-
member that it is possible to have surveys Of other
things than school departments, There is a bu-
reau of municipal research in operation in New
York, established and supported by the govern
ment OF that great city and officials OF that bureau
perform surveys for other municipalities willing
to be told what is what about their systems of gov
eminent and willing to accept disinterested advice.
San Francisco has just had its survey by this
bureau, the funds for the expenses OF the work
having been contributed by the San Francisco Real
Estate Board. Honolulu had survey in part
when H. Gooding Field went over the city's books,
but that survey was OF a man here and on that
account less effective in the accomplishment OF
reforms. As matter of fact, beyond starting a
thousaiid arguments, the recommendations of Mr.
Field accomplished nothing They did not even
stir the taxpayers until the next election day
Probably the College Club had this example in
mind when it recommended federal school sur
vey as preferable to any survey conducted by any
local committee.
Commenting on the report of the bureau Of mu-
ncipal research of New York City on its San Fran
cisco findings, the Argonaut says, in part:
The experts arrived last June and began their work,
and have this inclusive summary of their dis
corsries and opinions lncdly afranged and 90 ad
mrab,y expressed as to represent not only an almost
il can be reached. At the same time the report
tains nothing that is sensational nothing In the way
Il il e6a impartial and judicial picture Of eondi.
tons, good and bad alike It enables the citizen to
discover, almost in moment, the exact merits and de.
merits Of nearly every feature of the city government
far its finance and administration are concerned
The general impression left upon the mind by this
ineRcieney and maadminstraton Of course there
beenthey not usually Of the wilful vicious
they can be cured The chapter Of financial msraan.
agement is heavy enough and serious enough 10 all
conscience, but 1t is not Of the crudely corrupt kind
1t is represented in the main by thousand dribets
extravaganza and wastefulness that are almost in
sepaable from the handling Of large affairs BY small
men, aud from official Responsibilities, the false
Of relative values that engendered by our
political system The aggregate Of these
tG6itss Il fTanty appalling Thus We Ind that nearly
10 million dollars year wasted by the i've depaft
ments Of finance hre health coroner and public works
result Of misma cement and inehieency. At the
time we warned that this is substantially
deEestimated and that there "many other sources
admit Of tabuation. So far sources Of revenue
are concerned, have definite estimate of $4,000
year and the that "a complete revision of
the citys license system should add several hundred
thousand dollars to the annual revenues" reform
of purchasing methods would save 100000 year
Another 100000 year can be saved on registration
expenses. The Are department spends $SS,000 year
than II should The department Of health should
economic to the extent Of $33y540 year. And the
department of public works-that chief Of snners-is
responsible for waste OF $500 900 year, BY way Of
bringing the matter home to the most cursory
reader il may be said that every man, woman, and
child in Francisco is ueted to the extent of at
least two dollars year in order to pay for easily
avoidable extravagances and ineficiencies.
The recommendations of the bureau are, of course,
limited their scope They confined to those that
can be effected without change of charter, and they
without reference to the broad political system from
which most Of evils spring So long elect
perform public work. not because they are able
that work, but because they able to do
thing else so long shall have incapacity and
| traVagance SO long public Offices are gOrged with
officials whose only claim to place and salary is some
political service that would not always bear the light
of day long must expect to be taxed beyond
SO long ability is the last consideration in
a public servant and partisanship the first, SO long
shall be observed With such matters the report
has no concern, but may usefuly remember that
the only abiding reform begins at the polling booth
and that all others substitutes and palliatveS