The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-07-15
REPLY TO Mr.. HIND.
FntTop Ru11rTIN -

lsullO lBtisi'ElIN'
MIR. Kinds letter in your last even
ing's issue was evidently not written
for the purpose of encouraging Gov
eminent or private aid in supporting
railway enterprise in this country.
Ii the spirit of opposition which
seems to pervade the whole article
was correctly founded it might be
we'll to let it pass unnoticcd. Under
existing circumstances, however, l
feel it my duty, not only TO the
country but to myself. TO say that
Mr.. Hind seems To be wholly misin-
formed in the essential point i'll his
letter, which is one of law, and as n
legislator rs well as member Of the
especial Committee on Railways"
he ought 10 inform himself correctly
upon subject on which he proposes
to enlighten the public.
Passing over his apparent SYM
pathy for such land owners as sue
ceedcd in obtaining more money for
fright of way" than all right-thinking
men feel they ought TO have receiv
ed, and ignoring the gratitude he ex-
presses as tax payer that he had
no hand in aiding or encouraging
the pioneer railway line on this isl
and; we come to his attempt to con-
tradict my assertion that nothing but
a bare franchise was granted. Where
he says" But / find that The Rail
way Co.'S property is exempt from
taxation for 90 years. ] think this n
very valuable concession, as it seems
probable that, with our present i'll
crease OF the public debt, there will
be doubling up of our taxes in a
few years."
l don't believe Mr.. Hind made this
incorrect statement with the inten-
ton to mislead the public, but it
shows, to say the least, la, K OF cale
in reading an act hearing upon Il
very important public enterprise,
which to me seems ineXcusable in
any man who accepts from this
country the position he now holds.
The property OF the o. Il. d l.. Co.
is NOT exempt from taxation except
that part which is essential to the
operation of its railway. Ii Mr..
Kinds view of the railway is sustain
ed, viz: that it is not needed in the
country, then the railway is of no
use; and ii no use. wherein does the
value of its non-taxable franchise
consist? even ii taxes should increase
n hundred fold. When there was no
railway there could be no tax on
railways; now that the tax is remit
ted there is no loss, for how could a
country more than an individual
lose what it never had? The starting
of this short railway in question en-
ahled the. writer to secure fifty
years lease of two large cattle ran
ches containing an area of 10000
acres; another lease of $4,000 acres
las been received for the same term,
and all is turned over TO the railway
company. The company have ac-
quired property in fee, which two
years since was taxed for 30 200, but
which will be taxed this year for
S37, 1000.
Waterworks are being built upon
this property Mt cost to the com
pany of $4,000 when completed 1t
is the plan of the company to divide
up these large holdings in fee and
under long lease to settlers, some of
whom are now in the country wait
ing for the opportunity to be given,
and others will come. Two large
sugar plantations just started on this
island, each ut a capitalized value OF
100000, are the legitimate fruit OF
this small piece of railway, and the
result of ten months active work. |
hope Mr.. Hind will live to see the
railway extended on this island as
proposed, and he will learn that rail
ways will help to build up small coun-
tries just as much in proportion as
they do large ones. Already the
Pearl river division Of of the 0. r. 4
J.. Co. has been the direct agent OF
creating present and prospective
value OF property that will without
doubt yield within five years, taxes
to this Government, equal to foui
percent and possibly six percent
annually on the cost OF the railway
j estimate the increase Of revenue Il
the Government resulting from this
railway enterprise, which Mr.. Hinc
seems anxious to condemn, will
amount to over two percent mex
year on the contract price OF the
road. Am increase OF revenue to the
Government through. the develop
ment of its natural resources will MOI
tend to increase the rate'of taxation
as anticipated by Mr.. Hind. II
cease to go ahead is TO go backward
and those who would "let wei
enough alone" or advocate IL standstil
policy will do well to remember thai
Stagnation is death.