The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-01-18

announcement of the formation of a Cabinet.
Is A LATE number of this paper, a correspondent
spoke Of needed amendments to the Constitution.
1t is true that the number Of officers in a country
should only be enough 10 execute the laws, which
themselves should be as few and simple as the
wants of the people and the ends OF justice will
permit. No Office should be created for any
other purpose than the good Of the people, or
continued, if it is found unnecessary for that end.
The compensation should be such as to command
sufficient ability to perform efficiently the duties
of the Office, and not 50 much as to stimulate a
strife for its cmoluments through sordid motives.
Thus, with only such Offices as are necessary,
filed with Industrious, upright, and competent
men, with a fair compensation, taxation must be
correspondingly light, and such II people possess
the essential elements OF prosperity. And it is
no doubt desirable that this people aim at these
conditions, if the nation is to prosper or secure
permanently. As to the details mentioned by our
correspondent, good men hold somewhat different
views /; and that the Constitution be amended, so
as far as possible to promote the conditions essen
tial to prosperity, is not only desirable but neces-
sary, if we would prosper as a nation.
If we rightly recollect, the salary of the King
at the death of Kamehameha ". was Sl2 900,
which it had gradually reached from $4,000 or
$1,000, originally settled upon Kamehameha III.
In the Legislature of 1864, it was earnestly con-
tended by some members that $4,000, properly
used, was sufficient TO maintain the dignity and
state Of the head of this small and feeble King
DON. The same members also opposed the
whilst conceding all that was necessary under the
circumstances to the dignity of the Throne, the
former appropriations for this object were all that
should be granted, also, that the printing appro-
priation should not be increased. Inasmuch as it
is detrimental to the stability and prosperity of
a country that Fundamental laws should often
undergo changes, we are inclined to look favora-
bly, upon the suggestions of our correspondent
that some of those matters usually regulated by
law should 60 into the Constitution, and a maxi
mum sum be fixed, beyond which appropriations
for certain objects and things cannot be made,
except in some national exigency, which should be
provided for. We see the constant tendency to
increasing salaries and expenses, which must be
followed by increase of taxes in some form and
whilst it is necessary to have an efficient and
stable government, the prosperity of the country
demands that in securing this end the burden of
taxation be as light as possible.
In order to secure the needed Constitutional
northumberland such as will be of permanent
value to the people,-it seems to us that a suita-
BILE committee appointed by the present Legisla-
ture to report an amended Constitution to the
next Legislature for their consideration, would be
more likely to secure the end sought in it's
revision, than to fix upon all such points at its
present meeting and We do not see that any
.--zz III L. Il-I. l. n- l. A. lg
except the greater expense of tue present organi-
zation-overs such a revised one as is proposed.
But this will be offset by the greater perfection of
the revised Constitution by an able and wise
committee. A wise and stable government, with
light taxation, is the thing sought, and this only
promises permanent prosperity.