The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-05
GUNS and PASSPORTS.
They Cost a Dollar Each in
Hawaii.
HOW TOURISTS ARB TAXED.
4 Novel Method Of Raising Funds for
the Government.
LITTLE DEMAND FOR PAPER HONEY.
Honolulu Banks Cash Provisional Govern.
ment Paper at a Five Per
Cent Discount.

w. ii. Chambliss has made great many
visits to the Hawaiian Islands, and enjoys
recounting his experiences there.
when traveller lands at Honolulu he
Is asked by customs officer if he carries
gun, " said Mr.. Chambliss yesterday. .If
he answers in the affirmative he is COM
PEELED to deliver it. He obeys, and ex-
presses his surprise, declaring that he has
no sympathy with royalty, and in fact has
neither formed nor expressed an opinion
on the subject of Hawaiian politics one
way or the other.
I" THAT is all right says the customs
officer, you go over and talk to Minister
Damon in the Government Department of
Finance
"The traveller introduces himself to
Minister Damon. If he gives sufficient as
surance of his good intentions toward the
Provisional Government the Minister
hands to him written order to the Gus
toms officer instructing that functionary
to deliver to the bearer one gun, pistol or
whatever it is.
''That viii cost you ST." says the Minis
ter. The tourist pays the dollar, of course
He returns to the Custom-ho presents
his order and is told to pick his weapon
out of miscellaneous assortment of fire.
arms. 1t does not appear to make any
difference to the officer whether the ira
weller get his own pistol or one belonging
to somebody else. The first to pay his
dollars has his pick OF the lot. and the
last to come must take what is left.
"When the traveller is ready to leave the
islands he has another surprise. He must
secure passport. A passport is all right
enough. There is no objection to an hon
orable discharge from any condition. But
when the document is made out and he
extends his hand to receive it, he has to
pay another dollar.
"The traveller feels desire to say some
thing, but if he is philosopher, as all
travellers ought to be, he simply twirls a
silver dollar on the desk and before its
whir-r-r ends in a jingle in the officers
pocket he has passed out to give room for
made himself comfortable on the steamer
he takes out his passport and examines it
wonderingly.
"That piece of paper, in shape of a
printed form, with dates and names prop
erly filled in, which permits the tourist to
take himself and his baggage off the Ha-
waiian portion of the earth, does not in
any way show that 81 has been paid for it's
delivery, nor does it purport to be issued
"These two items, insignificant as they
may seem, aggregate about $500 month.
"a dollar to get your gun out OF hook
and dollar to get yourself out of the
country isn't much, considered as items of
incidental expenses of travel. If you have
nothing else for your two dollars, you still
retain the memory of peculiar and I'M
usual experience, such as is not met with
in any other portion of the civilized world,
and it is worth that amount to possess that
recollection"
Mr.. Chambliss produced his last pass
port, which he retains as evidence that he
paid his dollar.
"The p. g. man, as an adherent of the
Provisional Government is called, is Won
derfully humorous in financial matters"
said Mr.. Chambliss. "He seldom loses
the chance to get the best of any PROPOSE
ton, especially if he is member of the
Provisional Council.
81 remember another striking incident
which illustrates the P. G. cinch, which is
buckled on to the unsuspecting tourist. On
one occasion | landed with $500 gold
draft on Hackfeldt Co., agents of the
Pacific Mail. When presented it to be
cashed Ed Suhr of that firm, member of
the Provisional Council, suggested that
$500 would be cumbersome and said / had
better take it in $50 Hawaiian bills. | took
four of these $50 bills and the other 500 in
gold.
Needing some smaller money stepped
into Bishop 81 Damon's bank and asked
for $50 in silver in exchange for bill.
The teller counted out and offered to me
SAT so.
"'You have made mistake said.
"'Oh, no. he replied, merely the usual
discount of per cent
81 did not care anything about the dollar
paid for my pistol, but when it came to
receiving paper money for gold draft at
par and having it discounted at 5 per cent
in silver | drew the line ON Hawaiian
humor.
"'That is about the funniest thing I
have struck at the islands, I said, but
really do not enjoy the joke. 1 don't
care for any silver to-day thank YOU
''Then | went back to Suhr and de-
manded gold for my draft, returning him
the $500 of paper money. You understand
this paper money is full legal tender, pay
able in silver. If there shoulds have been
any difference between my gold draft and
the paper money should have been, by
right, allowed premium. But p G.
does not pay any premiums, except to
himself
'"Those gentlemen will not starve down
there. They are all right in the matter of
dollars and Dimes"
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