Salt Lake Tribune | 1913-10-21 | Page 6 | Commission for Hawaii

COMMISSION FOE HAWAII. The Tribune 3reslcrda3' morning had a dispatch from San Francisco suggesting sug-gesting that Ly reason of the local contentions, con-tentions, especially with tho native legislature, in Jlawaii, tho best thing would be to change tho administration of the inlands from a Territorial to a Commission form of government. Mr. Lorin Andrews, former Attornoy-Goncral Attornoy-Goncral at Honolulu is tho ono who makes t.his suggestion. Ho argues that tho chaugo is neccssar3 becauso the present government in Hawaii is proving prov-ing an expensive obstruction in tho jilans of tho U. S. Government for the defense of the islands. Tho local administration ad-ministration there appears to bo doing whatever it can to make tho improvements improve-ments considered necessary by the Federal Fed-eral Government, costb', and to dcla3' them as long as possible. The situation requires main condemnation suits, and, as Mr. Andrews says, "hindrances of all sorts aro made." Mr. Andrews suggests a military commission. We think that this is quite unnecessary. A commission in the usual form, such as has become popular in this countrj' iu municipal governments govern-ments and as some arc urging to take the place of State governments, would be the proper thing, if we aro to havo a com mission at all for Hawaii. It i3 to bo remembered also that tho Louisiana Purchase was governed b' a legislative commission for some time after that purchase; tho theory being t.hat tho inhabitants having been used to arbitrary government under tho dominion do-minion of Franco and of . Spain, would not understand self-government, and in ordor to got a start thereto, the services of an American bod3' in tho form of a commission, who would loach thorn tho elements and their practice of popular rule, was ncco3sar'. This precedent is important, and it coincides woll with tho present tendonc3' in tho "United States to have governments b3' commission. commis-sion. It stands to reason that such governments govern-ments should bo in tho interest of tho United States, and also in tho interost of the obstructive foreign people in Hawaii, who are opposing their owu best welfare in antagonizing the desires de-sires of tho United States Government. Wo believe that a properly constituted, patriotic commission of American statesmen could do moro for Hawaii (and for tho Philippines, too, for that matter,) than is in any waj- possible through the abortive and anno3'ing efforts to allow natives wholly inexperienced inex-perienced in local government, and childishly incompetent to - play with edged tools which they know nothing about, to misgovcru themselves and bring the United States into difficulties and cost not ony for no good purpose, but for selfish and ovil purposes at all times. The commission form of government would harm none of those nativoB, and would do them all good; and wo are much inclined to support tho commission commis-sion plan of government, as suggested by Mr. Andrews, not only for Hawaii, but for the Philippines, and probabl3" it would be better also for Porto Bico, than ihp present form; but certainly bettor for tho Philippines and for Hawaii.