The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-09-16
To The Editor of The Pacific Commercial Advertiser:

To The Editor of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser:
SIR The proposed Stamp Act introduced last
week in the Legislature, has called forth much bitter
feeling in the community at the various methods
proposed to increase the revenue and make us pay
dearly for the treaty which has been long labored
for. and was the promised boon for all ills.
All new methods of taxation find opposition on
their inrroduction; and while one kind and another
has its preferences, it can perhaps be fairly shown
that an internal revenue tax Is the most equitable
method Of placing il among that portion OF the
community best able TO bear il, and can be so pro-
yisioued that it will be far better in its workings
than an income tax, with none of the Objectionable
features of the latter; but the same must DC gotten
m with scrupulous regard for it's thorough working
by placing the tax at a low general average and
increasing the same pro rata in proportion to the
Salie of the instrument taxed. That the proposed
law Is just the reverse. will endeavor to show by O
few examples which will perhaps explain why the
Indignation shown At the proposed act Is JUST.
yfe7epmeRLs, S1.00; It matters not apparently
whether this is an agreement to cut ana denver q
few cords of wood, or for carting, or irelgntng a
TTticisi of Go partnership, $500. There is no
difference here either for consideration. Ii might
be n partnership in a single temporary venture, or
it might be q large business urn, OF Piahtltioh' ior
y number &, years.
Bills of Erchange tax seems more equitable, but
the same cannot be said Of Bis Of Ladllg. This
ia placed at 70 cents and can be Tor a single pack
aas. or ii might cover n whole cargo of sugar.
Furthermore, II is not stated whether this is coast
Ing or foreign. and if the latter whether inward or
outward. or both.
ChGTfe, Parties too is set rigidly at $1,000,
without regard to capacity or rate of freight:
Contracts between masters and servants for one
wear or less. S1.oO for each copy, and Sl.0O for
each year or part thereafter, the same TO be paid
by the employer. Why this latter clause? IL the
employer the only party benefited But here we
have Tor the consideration of say $4,000 or less, a
burden placed of $500. while 100000 is the con-
sideration of an Annuity tax OF sl-O0. Where does
Justice come in and why snch q burden rs TINS
on the employment OF labor2
I might 90 on further TO show the fallacy of the
bill, but the above viii perhaps suffice.
Again, It is quite noticeable that S1.Oo Is. the
basis of the proposed tax. and the consideration, in
. majority of cases, is $4,000. Why this universal
dollar tax? Are they so plentiful that it is our
smallest convenient counter? An examination into
the workings of the proposed Law viii show that an
internal revenue tax Of 2 cents on q consideration of
from So 90 20 5000 basis. and so on up. will be
found TO prove far more popular, and can be made
far more general, and will prove q sufficieney to
NEE, the contemplated government deficit
A Powerful FLEEr-The following is a list of
the British fleet in the Mediterranean at last