Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 76, 2 April 1894 Edition 02 — PRO BONO PUBLICO! [ARTICLE]

PRO BONO PUBLICO!

A Short Talk Abont Taxes. — Mini»ter D;inoon has miJe np an appropriation bill in whieh the onlinan- expenses of the government are consuisrab!e rediced. Wlien the government makes np its mind that the absurd cost of the army, and tbe special poliee force is nnnecessarv, the proposed appropriation bill will bo in good harmony with the expccted revenne. and the puhlie atfairs will be conducted on a propcr basis. We rcgret that we have not seen the proposed act, and are therefore unahle to judgo of the dctails of it, but we hear that a, proportionately speaking, small amount of the rcveuue wiil be devoted to puhlie works, improvements and encourugeraent of new industrics aad new enterprises. The re«son 5s, of course, that Ihe revenues of the country are not what lhey ought to be. It is noteworthy that the reform government, now in powcr, bave not been very brilliant iu suggesting menns nnd wa}‘s, whereby to swell the ineome of tho treasury. This is so nuieh more rcmnrkable, when wo remembei tho ridicule and abase heaped by the same men, and their organs, on tbe beads of tlie cabinet ministers who held oOiee during tho lnst Legislature. Even- proposition from taxiug playingcards to mcreasing tbe duty ou luxuries was met with scorn and the couutn was constantly told that if ouly the opposition was iu powor, t!ie revenue would be iucrcasod migbty quick. Forfifteen months the gentleraen have been "in," and tho on!y devise for improving the funds of the couutry, hasbeen the unrostrieted salo of “new"’ issues of Postal stamps, whoreby a few thousand dollars have been gained. Why, mav wo ask, do not the CounciIs revise tho system of taxatiou and do away with the discrimination now exerciscd to the detrimeut of tho government and to the rightoous indignation of the people? Is it becuuso. the planters are so strougly rcpresentod in the Cooncils. that evenbody seems muz2 , .!cd , Or is it that tbe natural human iustinct of our *‘patriots” raakes thora approvo of the "skirkiug’ ‘ from taxatiou? The country atiarge, tho whole people, would applaud and approve any movement whieh would lead to a revisiou of the present system. A well-known po!itician and a member of the Provisional Government, whose sincerity of purpose cauuot be doubtod, has investigated carefally the present system aud has arrived at the conclusiou that the favoritism in taxation shown to the planters, is intoUrab!e. and that a iuost important issue is before tbe j>eople in kreaking down Ihe taboo whieh surrouuds the priveleged classos and allo«ing the tax-assessors to get a just and f*ir sharo out the well fitled pockets of our sacred sugar magn ites. If a man boys a hoase for $5000 he will be made to pay iaxes on the $5000, until he ean prove—probably to a iax-appeal board—that his property has depreciated in value. If a sugar stock company incorporates with a stock eapiial ; of $500,000 it wiil be assessed and pay taxes on |>erhaps $150,000 or less than the net ineome paid out in dividends. A number of plantations have paid from 20 per ceat to 30 per cent dividends lagt year. And they bave paid . taxes on an amount aot exoeed- 1 ing tbo tōtal oI tbeir dividends. *

Ia that fair Is it jast or proper : ' It certaiiily seeais to cs tbat if Minister Oamoa is the apri"ht and vrell-iiieaDing nnn us we hare reason to beliere, ha will, \rithout delay. make some proposition to rect fy thc- wrong system and sce that ail and everybody heoome equal before tbe larrs — be they tax-iaws or otherwiae. And. if tbe present governmont ever desires to obtain tbe snpport of tbe people. they mnst show sajverior to prīvate ends and advantvges, and in trnlj* patriotic spirit work for the we’fare of this cOantry. for wLieh they pretend to have so moeh aloKa, «nd so!ely look out f jt tue beneSt of a siugle —and a \ery wealthy—class of men. lt is to be hoped tbat tae governmcnt as well as its org;ins will tboronghly ventilate this matter —and do it before thc constitutional convention meets.