The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-10-12


EDITOR GAZETTE In conversation with
foreign diplomatic officer generation
since. about the past progress, and future
prospects of this nation. when taxes upon
real and personal property, were one
fourth of one per cent. only, in expressing
his qualification and approval, he said IF
taxation were high If would destroy the
people" Since then it has taken two
inward strides. and is three times as high
as If then was. and as sincere well wisher
of the King and Hawaiian people, l notice
with regret a proposal in the Legislature
to take another upward STEP by adding
another / per cent. to the taxes upon
property The only hopes, 1 may say,
that l entertain for the continued indie
pendence and prosperity of the nation are
in the economical and Just administration OF
the government, and keeping free from
debt, except contracted for useful and pro
ductiUe improvements. 1t IS better that
every officer. from the highest to the low
est. like the officers Of the Swiss Republic,
should economist, that the ordinary reve-
nue. may contribute to works of public
usefulness. than that-debt should be con
tracted, or heavier taxes imposed, for pur-
poses not nearly Indispensable.
The motto in Royal banner IS compre
hensive, and in its fulness embraces all.
- Tie life Of tie land IS perpetuated By Right
eouSness'
The papers report an Honorable member
as saying that, with the advance proposed
the taxes will be less than in any other
land This may be true, but if true, will
it make the burden easier to bear, or
detract any thing from the disadvantages
and dangers of burdensome taxation or
debt? Is it not better to keep free from
both as far as possible by the exercise of
a wise even self denying economy?
Inmy last communication to the GAZETTE
on this subject written when the revision
of the present tax laws was before this
legislature, | stated that the assessed
value in all the states of the United States
was less than tie true value or .. S.
Census Value. The assessed value differs
from the true value of property, in all of
the states, and they all differ from each
other, but the average Of the assessed
value to the true value as determined by
the last Federal census Is 40 $40 per cent.
or one hundred dollars, as there assessed.
is worth but S40S0, Of the value recorded
in the census. But our assessment here
IS upon the true, and fair value, of the
property, and our 3 per cent, or Toe, on
800, here would in California where the
assessed is 45.2 of the true value be re-
corded as 1S4 per cent, and the l per
cent, proposed here on full value would
there be recorded as 2,445 per cent, so
when we compare our tax list with theirs
we should reduce our standard to theirs
The California tax for state purposes, the
present year is 59c., to each 500, assessed
value; but when reduced to our standard
is only al to each 500.
So when the comparison is made, to
those not cognizant of the facts, it is
deceptive, unless explained. It will be
seen that California's tax for state purposes
the present year is less than one third of
our present tax, and would be less than
one fourth of what the amendment pro
poses to make it. The local town or city
taxes, are fixed by the local authorities
according to their respective wants, and
differ from each other. but they tax them
selves according to their wants and them
selves pay it. 1 shall greatly regret any
addition to the general property tax by
the present legislature, and think on con
sideration of the above facts, our intelli-
gent Legislators, and men who have not
studied the subject, will see that our
plane of taxation is already higher than
they had supposed Yours truly,
S. n CASTLE.
Honolulu, October 6, 1856.