The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-01-06
THE PACIFIC
Commercial
JANUARY 6.


The STAMP ACT went into operation on Monday
last and, like all laws that impose taxes, it may
be said to have not been well received. We can
remember when, a good many years ago, the
road tax was fret imposed some citizens protested
that they would never pay it, that they would
" work it out" if need be, but thar money
should never 20 to FIJI the Golfers Of the govern
meDt. The cause of thus antipathy to taxation
IS not difficult to trace it is begotten of a selfish
ness that is inherent IN human nature. The road
tax was paid, and continues to be paid 70 this
day without a murmur. We can understand
that with Americans the idea of a Stamp Act
may be particularly obnoxious, and more so per-
haps in this centennial season, when the meruaR
ries of '76 have been awakened and yiyifed. AS
Americans we might feel called upon to take up
arms against a tax that was so disagreeable to
our great-grandfathers but would it not be well
to remember the old copy in our writing-books-
" Circumstances alter cases"
We hardly feel called upon aa yet to say that
the Stamp Act must be-or even should be-re-
pealed; but would rather say, give it a fair trial,
and if any of its features prove Objectionable
amend them. 1t is true that the Act imposes a
tax varying from " twenty-five dollars to twenty
" &h O0b huAo tSunC may COufcJ u
wrong impression. The only twenty-five dollar
tax is for public or private charters. Ten dollars
arc collected for a Charter party, a Letter of
License, and Patent for Inventions. Two items
are fixed at FIVE dollars and one at three dollars.
It is partly correct to say that money orders and
bills of exchange are taxed, except such as are
made payable on demand. The fact is that the
exception covers drafts, &C., payable to bearer at
Sighl or on demand. There is no excuse for say
ing that the Act imposes q tax on Z" policies of
life and fire Insurance. for the only policies of
insurance covered by the Act are for marine in
surance.
Neither is it correct to say that because nearly
ell money orders and bills of exchange are drawn
at sight or on demand that they are therefore
exempt, for they are generally made payable to
order, and if 30 are liable. 1t is true that here
after they may and probably will be made pay
able to bearer, and thus escape taxation. 1t is
not a fact that the law proves, or is likely to
prove vexatious to natives as well as foreigners.
The Act is SO constructed that transactions under
$500 in amount pay no higher tax than formerly,
and therefore transactions in which natives gen.
orally arc concerned will rarely feel the increased
taxation.
We think that Europeans will hardly believe
the assertion that a stamp tax is never imposed
except as O war measure or to pay a war debt
and well-read Americans will be ready to give
instances to the contrary. A Stamp Act has
been in force here for years and the present Act
simply distributes the tax propOrtionably with
the means to pay and with the Importance, in a
money point of view, of the transaction. For
the boon of good government one should always
be ready to pay; and for this reason we say,
give the Stamp Act a fair trial.