The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-08-08
Commercial Advertiser.
THERSDAY. AEGENT :.

luuSe DN tne lOB1ness OF our OihclAl organ u
expose the poverty of the Hawaiian Government,
by its quarterly exhibition Of the beggarIy stats
ties paraded before the public, the same mfr
NIFTY Is shared by governments. 1t Is had enough
for u man Of u weak mind to expose his failings
10 the jeers Of the crowd, but when q govern
ment seeks to exhibit its nakedness and poverty 10
the gazing world. it creates a feeling Of shame in
her people; not because she IL poor. but because
those who should endeavOr 10 hide her nakedne>s
have 50 little sympathy for her. Not content
with robbing her Of Il goodly income and destroy
ing in q measure, by doubling the import duties,
the growing and furnishing commerce Of a port.
which, under proper nurture and care, was des-
tined 10 hold the position of a central distribut-
Ing mart. our ministry now seek 70 brighten
away from Us some who might otherwise be en-
Outraged to ~emigrate hither and plant their
capital and industry among US.
All who are interested in the permanency Of
the Hawaiian kingdom, It's prosperity and growth,
look with sorrow on the great fact which the
statistics Of each department of the public reve-
nue. must show, viz q retrograde movement, a
falling off in the income. Whatever may be the
causes, the fact still appears as patent as the
light of day, that the available public revenue is
on the decline, and declining, too, in such a
ratio that something must be Immediately done
70 arrest it, or its effects will soon be witnessed,
spreading like a plague of Egypt, and cursing all
alike-government and people, rich and poor.
Our readers well know that We have attributed
the first prime cause to the incompetencv of the
ministry, 10 the erroneous policy pursued by
them, and their want Of firmness 10 initiate and
carry out with promptness proposed changes of
nnLnnrrInl.,I l.n.E, III -. ..--
rent, that public dissatisfaction is everywhere
expressed, and public confidence in the integrity
and ability of the ministry 80 shaken that q
change IL absolutely demanded. The department
of Finance especially, is the main spring of the
national credit and prosperity, and It's position
should be sacredly guarded if II falls into
discredit, the industry of the people suffers with
1t, and the burdens imposed on them become less
easy to be borne. To regulate it. and devise
ways and means to meet the public wants, re-
quires financial ability, skill and integrity of the
highest Order-second to no other post in the
kingdom. During the past tw" or three years
that department has lacked the administrative
ability which it should have enjoyed, and as a
consequence, every reform cmanating in it.
and the principal political changes carried into
effect, have unfortunately been obnoxious To the
true interests of our ommerc and injurious to
the public revenue. The statistics which the
government paper very foolishly parades before
the public, [see POiynesiGn of July 20,l afford
ample evidence to support this position.
We have steadily maintained, from the time
an increase in the tax on the necessaries of life
was first proposed, and a reduction on liquors,
which, IN our port and traffic with shipping,
may be viewed solely as luxuries, that the prac-
tical effects of these changes would be TO reduce
the importation and consequently the consump-
ton or transportation of the necessaries of life,
at the same time depriving our government of
the revenue derivable therefrOm, as we'll as from
spirits. In bringing forward proofs, we can only
speak from past experience but all the statistics
Obtainable up to this date go to sustain the posi-
ton taken by this journal, that an increase Of
Iares on the necessorieS of life decreases the con-
sumption Of them, and consequently decreases
the aggregate of industry engaged in the pro-
and supply of them. This is an axiom
of political economy so well established in old
that we have always believed it's
operation would be the same here. And q
deduced from it is, that as the indus
try engaged in trade and commerce. receives a
blow from heavy duties, so likewise government
Civ AAhSt POI liht vi tHC INJURY ~ We IclcEs Z
then. to the statistics of the past three years,
shall find this position sustained. We will
give now the imports and duties for the first
SIX months of each of the three past years,
will show the operation of the two tariffs,
promising that in 1859 the old fire per cent.
were in force on merchandise, and So a
gallon on spirits in 1860, the same duty on
merchandise, but the duty on spirits reduced to
80 in 1861, ten per cent. on merchandise, if
ZEN on tobacco, cigars and opium, and SO on
'pirits. Let us compare the three years {
Total Total !
GO3s4J,5I 57+3I3.67 5
s6I.---.----" .---.---...226,4l4,O3 43.o.g,52
Figures are stubborn witnesses, which cannot q
Ne impeached. When urging the passage of the
lew tariff, the ministry predicted that the reye- I
Tue derived from it would amount TO $l52,7S4 l
yer annum. The first year in which the tariff L
las been in full force has just closed, (June 30, .
o6l,) and we find produced under IL a total =
eyenue of sos .246 ,G6, instead of Sl52, 7S4; -
nd a falling off Of So S7, CO in the receipts of :
he first half of the present year as compared h
nth the same period of the year previous. 81
here is no installing these plain facts and o.
CURES. The Ministry, and other silly theorists,
elsoned that our people would Just as soon pay
ten per cent. tax ON the necessaries they con- re
lined as five per cent. 1t was perfectly ridicu- ii
JUS. They might rs well have reasoned that for II
capitalist to raise his rents five per cent. would NJ
no difference with his tenants; OF for the n
to reduce five per cent. on the inter- !"
{ it pays for its loans. would make no difference "
the facility with which il could borrow. :"
An inch added TO a mans nose" i an enor- p
Gus elongation-so, too, an extra five per cent.
ken as a tax from a consumer purse j. very ed