The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-10-08
NO NEED OF INCREASED TAXATION.

tasteful; it is doubly so in times of
monetary depression and scarcity.
Our Government and Legislature
are disposed to levy additional tri-
butte at time when the majority of |
our sugar plantations-the country's |
main support-are kept running, if
not at an actual loss, without profit.
The next industry, rice, is not in a
very much better condition. Banana
culture is being suspended, with a
consequent decrease of expectation,
because Improbable. Business in
general is in state of stagnation.
Although a large proportion of the
burnt out district-which before the
fire was fully occupied by shops and
private residences-still remains
without buildings. many of those
which have been restored cannot
find tenants. Money is scarce, and
growing scarcer every day. The
healthy circulation of coin is sus-
pended, and we have left only Il
languid inert flow, scarcely sufficient
to save trade from syncope. This
is the condition of the country-its
agriculture and its commerce. Are
Ministers and members ignorant
thereof! Surely not. And yet
they seek under these circumstances
and at this time to make our taxes
one-third greater than they have
hitherto been. Ii we were pros
porous, with more cash than we
knew what to do with, we should
dive our hands down into our pockets
and pay without Il murmur. But
we are not in that condition at pre-
sent. We are quite poor enough
already. As we are suffering from
depletion, we are not of the opinion
that resort to phlebotomy will relieve
our weakness.
Increase of taxation is always un-
wise when unnecessary, whether
money be easy, fools plentiful, and
knaves in their glory, or not. In
crease of taxation In this kingdom
is not necessary at the present time.
This statement is not hard 70 prove.
Indeed, citizens of ordinary intelli-
gence who have no interest in an
increase, require no proof. The
fact is known, and admitted to be
fact by those who know. The Gov
ernment organ says il is necessary,
but hnOacs better. 1t is too well
informed not to know. Ministers
and members in the House want an
increase, but they hmow it is not
necessary, or only rendered neces-
sary by an unnecessarily large APP
preparation Bill, although they may
not be willing to admit it. 1t would
be an insult to their intelligence to
presume they did not know. We
should be sorry to wrong them to
that extent. 1t is too much to ex-
pect official nature in these degene-
rate days and in this country, where
the principles of gentleman are at
discount and presuming impu-
dence at premium, to acknowledge
the truth when it is opposed to self
interest. But let those gentleman
be bundled out of office, and placed
in the position of private taxpayers
instead of taX-receivers, and see
how soon they will make open con-
fession. Circumstances alter cases.
Just glance at the Appropriation
Bill, and say if increased taxation is
necessary. The aggregate amount
of the one-third increase can be
taken right off, and that without the
slightest detriment to any public
interest whatever. Take the number
of officials, and then consider the
amount of work. Look at the number
of fgure-heads, who do nothing ex-
cept drawing high salaries, with
deputies doing the work. There is
that learned Genealogy Board, Il
wonderful salary-absorbing body,
who " found out" that Moku Pa
papa, formerly about 400 miles
from Honolulu. and called by for
eigners French Frigate Shoals, had
SWIM off 800 miles beyond and
changed into Ocean Island. Irre-
weren't people, like ourselves, who
respect nothing that is devoid of