Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-16
ntntLl1N rlAlrtnN.

There are a few silly person, In thi, com.
muni,y who think because taxation is not So
great here as boz some better governed coun.
tues. that those who irc murmming against
the mislects Of the administration have IN
reality no ground for complaint; that such peo.
pie should keen quiet and let thing, go on as
they ate going ,o long as they are unable To
complain that they have suffered some imme.
dilte injury to thcmsc,cs which can be directly
traced as consequence Of bad government.
A. persons Of this class. however, are ncces.
arily poor logieiaus perhaps 1t Is needless to
enter into any very exhaustive explanation OF
how and where they are wrong. The man
who is so shallow as 60 argue from such prem
ises, against thc indication. of substantial facts.
would be naturally incapable Of comprehend.
ing any arEumcu, based upon principles, and
We have a right TO suppose that such will only
hc brought tn their senses when their pocket,
are touched. These people, too, when fraud
ut misconduct Is brought home to a govern
ment or an official with whom their self
interest ha, pu, them in sympathy, are content
To- justify the fact by the supposition that liz,
oiicnsc, or misconduct has occurred before, and
with other persons, and ate unable 10 s,c thai
the general adoption Of the principles which
form the basis OF their opinions would subyer
the best government in the world. They vii
deliberately argue, not exactly, that becaus,
Boss Tweed robbed the municipal government
Of New York city, Boss Somcbody-clsc, here
has right TO steal also OF that because Mir
soand-so did something under another al
ministmtion. therefore Mi Ofcc.holder has
| right to do the same under this. But they will
twist and cloak this real meaning by saying
" II Boss Somebody else did steal here. Bos
Tweed stole in America. too = or, "if Mt
Oaiee-holder did do something wrong unde
this administration, MIR. So.and.so did III,
same under another They seem eminentl,
satisfied with this style OF Argument wher
applied to the government or officials bu
would he utterly thunderstruck at a proposal t,
extend their principles So as to include persons
in the commoner walks Of life, and would b,
| hN'tAHNA ~ AtlN Il'ltHth lhHbhSAAA'h VI ~
emberzling clerk from the fact that Others hac
done the same. So, too, would they deem i
an awful proposition 10 free a murderer be
cause others had committed like crimes. II
regard to government generally, sound thinker
are not content with mal-administration from
the fact that other countries ar worse gov
erned, OF that taxes here are less than in man,
other places. The questions uppermost il
such minds arc" Is the country as well gov
emed as it might be; and are the taxes bein.
expended as they should be, in the general dis
tribution Of benefits People contribute to
wards the support Of government that the!
may be "protected in the enjoyment Of thei
life, liberty and property" and for no othe
purpose and il government sufficient 70
such purposes can be adequately maintained a
an annual expenditure Of half million o
money. there is no reason why they should b,
burdened with the support of one al twice o
three times that cost. People pay taxes 70
their own good, and not with view Of sup
porting silly puppets and senseless parades.