The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-10-06
WEDNESDAY
October 9th.
THE LEGISLATURE.


The Legislative Assembly yesterday
occupied the working hours Of the day in
debate on two propositions, which might
have been disposed of very easily but for
the persistence Of one or two members.
Early in the day Mr.. Hayselden proposed
a resolution to permit him to introduce a
bn to amend the Internal Tax law, but
1t was opposed 'tooth- and-nail" by Mr..
Thurstcn and others. Hours were
wasted discussing the possible provis-
ions Of the bill about to be introduced;
and Mr.. Thurston took advantage Of the
phenomenal good nature OF the President
to set his ruling at defiance and continue
his time-killing speech.
But perhaps something should be said
regarding the speech which Mr.. Thurston
addressed to the assembled wisdom Of
the nation" He assumed that the
member for Honolulu proposed to intro
duce a bill which would increase the
taxation one-fourth of one per cent. This
he said was equivalent to an increase
this result is of course secret to him
self, but that he did 50 is undoubted, be
cause his entire speech thencefOrward
was based upon this calculation. He
spoke briefly in English, and at great
length in Hawaiian, to impress upon the
House the enormity of the tax proposal
which Mr.. Hayselden had in reserve for
the country. A more audacious and i'm
pudent attempt to impose upon the
native members could not well be mag
ined
Said this legislator, who is supposed
to be an authority on the subject, sew
enty-fve cents taxation on one hundred
dollars valuation in the Hawaiian Islands
is equal to three per cent in the United
States or any other country. e., three
quarters of one per cent is equal to three
per cent-and therefore an increase Of
one-quarter per cent ON valuation OF
$100is equal to over one-third Of three per
cent ON that amount; so that in point OF
fact the increase contemplated was not
fraction of one per cent but thirty-three
and one-third per cent. But property
owners do not pay three per cent taxation
on the assessed value in this country,
and the increase of taxation, if any, Is to
be calculated upon the actual and not
the assumed amount. Mr.. Thurston
made an exceedingly lame argument
therefore, and very questionable pre-
sentation of his methods of computing
percentages. 1t was intended to impose
upon the native members, but it had not
the desired effect. He failed of his OBJ
ject, and certainly did not add to the
respect in which his judgment and hon
esty are held.
Let as say right here, that from the
beginning to the end of his speech, Mr..
Thurston was attempting to mislead the
Legislature and conceal the facts. More
over, ne is ignorant Of the lesson taught
by the statistics of revenue and taxation
based upon population and furthermore,
ne should have known that these three
are not the only factors in the fiscal and
economic problem upon which he spoke
so oracularly. And while we say this OF
Mr. Thurston and his methods, let it be
clearly understood that we are not in
dorsing the entire fiscal policy Of this
country; but as matters now stand there
Is nothing for it but to increase the rev
enue to meet the growing wants from
available sources of income. Ii a manly
and honest stand were made on behalf
OF the taxpayers we should be the first to
recognize the cogency OF the argu-
ments, but when a dishonest and mis-
leading fight Is made to protect taXshirk-
ers, we have no word of sympathy or en-
enlargement.
The bill to increase the number OF
Supreme Court Judges was made the
first order of the day, after u sharp fight
by Messrs. Thurston and Dole against it,
EIr. Dole was the Chairman of the select
committee to which the bill had been
referred but having LETT it for about
month in his desk without action, he
protested that the session was too far
advanced to give it due consideration.
OF course this transparent subterfuge was
easily seen through, and the Legisia-
tire ordered the bill TO be proceeded
with Il then transpired that the com
mittee, Mr. Dole included, was uuani-
nous in the demand that there should
be a change in the organization OF the
Supreme Court, which would guarantee
an independent and impartial Appellate
Court Mr.. Dole was prepared to de-
prive the inhabitants OF this Kingdom OF
the virtual right of appeal for at least
two years, and a possible four years, by /
urging a constitutional amendment,
while the bill introduced by Mr.. Kaulu- I.
kou went to the root OF the evil and
guaranteed redress OF this almost intoIera- .
ble grievance.
Let Us say here, however, that there