The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-05-12
MILITARY WASTE.

by our report OF the proceedings
of the Provisional Legislature yes
terday it will be seen that the ex-
penses of the military from January
IL to April 13, 1893, were 3S,935.6l.
This is at the rate of S44l.25 a day.
or 1922, 1880 for the biennial period.
The appropriation made by the late
Legislature for the military estab-
lishment of the kingdom was $4,000
for the biennial period, which is at
the rate of $6S.50 day. Even this
modest provision for the military
was tiercely opposed as waste of
public money by the Advertiser, now
a Jealous organ of the Provisional
Government ready at all times, in
return for liberal subsidies, to defend
the widest extravaganza Of that
body. The difference between S6S.5O
a day and S44l.25 a day is only
trite, probably, in the eyes of those
whose selfish purposes now as ever
sanctify any outrage. But to the
taxpayers of this country, who have
the weakness, inherent in that class
everywhere, of expecting something
tangibly useful in return for their
tribute to the powers that be, it is a
difference of S372.75 hard coin every
day. Another serious difference to
thepeople at large lies in the fact that
the moderate appropriation of the
constitutional Legislature was for
respectable troops, carefully selected
as to physique and perfectly drilled,
and withal the servants of the Gov
ernment; whereas the lavish out
pouring of the revolutionary Govern
ment is for an armed mob, largely
picked at random from the lowest
drift elements, who have been proved
by specimens figuring in the civil
courts-not to mention courts-mar-
tial-to be more a menace than a
protection to the public peace, and
who are known to have been masters
instead of servants to the Govern
ment on occasions. There is not
justification for any larger military
establishment under the revolution
ary regime than there was under the
monarchy, even from the point of
view of the revolutionary rulers as
intending to hold the fort until the
United States finally decides whether
to take the country or leave it alone.
With even less support than the
Government has from the first
claimed to have in the community,
it would require only small force
to watch the public buildings and
guard against surprises, for the rest
relying on the volunteer forces that,
in case of necessity, would probably
be more effective, one to five, than
the heterogeneous bands now on
guard for money onl y. 1t must be
borne in mind that the Government
has not only possession of all the
strongholds and vital points, but it
has supreme control of the importa-
tion, traffic in, and possession Of
weapons and ammunition. It's supe.
rior strength as compared with
whatever opposition might in case
of opportunity become belligerent
ought under such circumstances to
be beyond doubt and cannot be
estimated at all on the basis OF
numbers. The Provisional Govern
ment would display infinitely more
strength in the eyes of the world
yes, even to the view of this com,
munity itself-if it eyinced mora
courage enough to disband its mer
cenary forces, retaining only a small
regular guard for the public build
ings, at cost, if not approaching
at least not going clean out of sight
beyond the moderate amount pro
vided by the last constitutional
Legislature. Words would not bC
honest which described the present
rate of military expenditure as any
thing short of an outrageous misus,
of the peoples money--obtained as
that revenue is by taxation without
representation. Such heavy pro
portion of the aggregate expendi
ture for all purposes, simply tc
maintain the present government
without constitution in power by
force, emphatically bellies all the
claims that the Provisional Govern
ment is ruling with the consent o.
majority even of the foreign par
of the community.