The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-07-16
CORRESPONDENCE.
PROHIBITION.

EDToR BCLLETIN:-Some time
ago / received a BULLETIN and in it
| found an Incorporate communica-
tion from Mr.. Jno. f. Smith, upon
the blessings of intemperance-in-
temperance taught by the Bible,
etc. And in it l and others were
personally alluded to as Cracked
Drained fanatics upon the temper
ancc question. | partially answered
the communication soon after re-
ceiving it and sent it for publica-
ton several weeks ago, but the edi-
tor either has not received it, or has
no room for it, or perhaps deems it
unworthy and untimely. 1t may
yet appear.
The BULLETIN you have Just sent
me, contains other communications
upon the same subject and mostly
bv the same author.
Please publish the following as u
partial answer to them:-
The little there is in these com
municatiOns worth noticing are csti-
mates and statements that may mis-
lead the thoughtless if left uncor-
rected. We find this statement, 81
deny you the right to interfere with
the welfare of this kingdom by tax
ing from the revenue of this small
country every two years 100000
and thus saddle every soul in it with
ten dollars more taXation.' The
meaning ofthisis, | suppose, that now
the Government receives as rcve-
nue. from the rum traffic S500,000
but if prohibition prevails there
would be no rum revenue, which
would be true, but statistics inform
us that when temperance wave
rolls over a country the revenue
does not fall off rs the rum friends
always predict, for as the temper
ance wave moves on prosperity
rapidly follows, wealth increases,
industry takes the place of idleness,
more money is earned, and expend-
ed-nOt' for rum-but for values,
necessities, comforts and luXurics,
which were not bought when the
money was spent for rum, property
is taxable, and many of the necessi-
ties and luXurics bear taxation as
well as pay revenue. Hence with
such statistics (and they are numer-
ous) | feel justified in claiming
there would be no falling off of the
revenues under wise and a well
executed prohibition law. But Mr..
Smith asserts there would be, so let
him prove it and undeniablc proof
would be, to put it TO full test by
adopting prohibition. We trust Mr..
Smith will see the point and get all
the friends of rum and the temper
ance people to put it to the proof
here, so t bat our eyes may be fully
open to the revenue item of this
great question, without having to
rely upon doubtful foreign statistics.
We will help you, Mr.. Smith, to get
up this positive proof.
1t should be allowed to run five
years before making up the definite
statistics, to have further actions
upon, for, or against, rum revenue.
Not wishing to pass this vital
question with SO few words lest it
may not be put to the proof in the
way i suggest, / will ask who pays
this $500, 900 revenue now? In my ig-
norance ] had supposed that it was
paid by the citizens of these islands.
But the way Mr.. Smith puts it, if
the rum revenue was stopped it
would "saddle every soul in it (this
small country( with ten dollars more
taxes than they now pay" Just as
though they did not pay this revenue
now, but it was paid by some outside
philanthropist. This statement we
think wrong.
Mr.. Smith has not placed the loss
or gain on the peoples rum bill of
these islands large enough if prohi-
bition ever goes into effect. We
place it thus:
Revenue ................ $500, 900
tlrst cost. ........ ,..,.. $1,000
Importers profits. .....,.. $4,000
Retailers profits ......... POO, 900
We presume some of these items
are under-estimated---not having
statistics at hand, but they are
large enough for our purpose.
We see by this that over one mil
lion of dollars in cash are expended
every two years by the people of
these islands for rum, and no good
results to point to for justification.
Without supporting the Government
10y the degradation of its people is a
good result which Mr.. Smith thinks
it is or he would not urge it kept up.
Moreover the loss of energy and by
idleness as well as the loss on the
poorest quality of services rendered
by laborers debauched by rum, are
all lOSspg tO Lp SET down aOoinSt thn