The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-08-11
TRUTH OF THE SITUATION.

tion laws of severity, and for criti
cisms of its methods and policy, laws
of press censorship and contempt,
there is still healthy public opinion
in these islands which will not be
suppressed. The Government clac-
quers hero and abroad, including
the very truthful Minister to Wash
ington who is running show at
Chicago, are trying to make it ap-
pear that the financial condition of
this country has greatly improved
under the military government.
Everybody living in the islands hav-
ing eyes to see and intelligence to
comprehend plain facts, however,
knows that the finances of the Ha-
waiian Islands were never before in
so low condition as at present, and
further that they are sinking instead
of rising so far, especially, as potency
in providing for needful public SER
vices is concerned.
uSlC Los uSNS Sl OCSu llulC "hChS
in the bloom of our biennial fnan-
cial period-the first six months
after the passage of the Appropria-
tion Act-the public works Of the
country have been in so poverty
stricken and even paralyzed condi-
tion as they have been ever since the
Provisional Government has under
taken to run the country. Import
ant street and road improvements
that were making fair progress,
amidst all the frequent changes of
the previous regime, suddenly came
to standstill. The ordinary reve-
nues, that sheuld have been expend-
ed in these and other works of pub
lie benefit, have been thrown away
on most extravagant military sys-
TEN. Up to date there has been
spent on the military and items not
appropriated by the last Legisla-
ture" nearly $4,000. This, too,
while the boast is made that all the
respectable elements of the country
are leagued in support of the Pro-
visional Government; while the
Government has absolute control of
the importation, sale and possession
of munitions of war, and, in short,
has complete hold of every advan-
tage of defense against any uprising.
Heavy salaries are paid military Off
GERS, some of whom do not devote
their whole time to their military
duties, and others of whom were not
able to earn living before they
were hired to help at drills and show
off their figures at parades. If the
Government wanted to show the
world that it did not rule by the will
of the people at large, it could not
have adopted more effectual means
than its ostentatious military dis
play. But the people have to pay
for the exhibition, while the service;
designed for their comfort and pros
perity are let go to the dogs.
Meanwhile the country is having
its debt increased by tens of thous
ands at time. The money thus
borrowed, instead of being applied
to the purposes of the Loan Act
enacted by the last Legislature un
der the Wilcox-Jones Cabinet ant
re-enacted by the Provisional Gov
ernment-is used to pay old debts
the nature and items of which arr
not given, only statement that the,
were expended from general revenue
under Section 2 "to carry on public
improvements" This looks like
making the Loan Act retroactive
which would be unconstitutional
that is, if the terms of the Proclama
ton are respected which continue il
force constitutional principles ant
statute laws of the monarchy not il
conflict with the new authority
How money could have been draw
from the general revenue for publ
improvements under Section 2 o
the Appropriation Act is unexplain
ed, and we should like to be able t.
say that it is not unexplainable. Ac
cording to the Act money for oh
jects in Section 2 is limited to thre
distinct sources, viz, the proceed
of public loans, the surplus of re
ceipts over payments of the Posta
Savings Bank, and general revenu
sin excess of the appropriation
made in Section L."
If the money mentioned in the OK
planatory note in parentheses of tn
weekly financial statement was no
derived from either Of these sources
the expenditure of it was clearly il
legal and it is difficult to see hoy
the balance of legality can be re
gained by the further illegal act O
drawing loan money to replenish tn
panaral TaVenue The Loan Act a