The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1896-12-21
oosREspoNDENoE.


open to every shade of opinion on party or
grievance. Correspondence must not be hbet-
touS or indecent and must be accompanied By
The name OF the writer, not necessarily for pub
hcdtion, but as guarantee Of good tdtth.)
The Portuguese and Their Taxes.
Ed. The INDEPENDENT:--
The astonishing stand taken by
the Tax Collector, Mr.. Shaw, as to
the valuation OF property of small
holders, which include in the greatest
part Portuguese, has aroused the
Portuguese to a point OF indigna-
tion throughout Honolulu. The
Portuguese, who compose the larg-
est portion Of the industrial popula-
tion OF Hawaii, have always sup
ported the Government through
thick aud thin, and have always
been law abiding people, have at
last found cause for complaint. 1t
is astonishing how the taxes OF these
people have been increased since
the year 1892. The property they
possessed in 1892 is precisely the
same as to-day, and what should
cause an increase is a conundrum to
them-an increase OF three times as
large as in 1892. So that, proper
tionately, they pay, as compared
with the wealthy, on valuation Of
200 percent or over IL the Govern
ment is in need OF funds let it assess
everyone alike, and not take advan
tage Of the poverty stricken 'Portu-
guese. tay poverty. stricken" for
the reason they are poor and striv-
ing Tor existence as we'll as other
nationalities in our midst.
Since the forming of the Republi-
can form Of Government the Portu-
guese awaited anxiously for better
times, But instead, poverty has
struck them in the face. Upon this
substructure of poverty has the
extravagant power of Hawaii been
built up. 1t is power that has
meant well many time and which
has done we'll in not a few instances;
but all its merits are eclipsed by its
abominable waste, and its end must
be that of oil governments which
have preceded it. Should it not die
from internal convulsions, or from
foreign complications, it will dwin-
die and perish from the exhaustion
OF the people it rules and sucks dry
OF their lies substance, or it will
collapse smothered in its debts. A
spirit OF true economy might pro-
long its existence, dominated as its
rulers now are by a spirit OF con-
quest, mania for spending the sub
stance OF the people in things that
profit not, it is liable to founder in
the first storm which succeeds in
breaking the united web OF credit
by which the world is held bound.
The mind cannot contemplate a
future SO full of risks and sinister
probabilities without sadness. So
much good has been meant to Ha-
waii that we could hope still for the
future, were their ideals even now
changed, were real economy to give
place to the present system of gov
ernment, were the interests of the
people studied first and our own Ha-
waiian follies and vanities put out
Of sight for ever; were the abuses OF
the Hawaiian Office and its bideous
faults a5ated or swept away; were
the cost Of the army brought down
TO the limits necessary to keep our
present territory in ord er, and, we're
the internal administration opened
more fully to natives, 50 that the
swarm OF Foreigners now eating up
the land as officials might be de-
creased; were the burdens of inter
est involved by debt gradually dim
inished, and in all directions econ
omy and entrenchment enforced,
our living in Hawaii might even
now be consolidated and made on
1uring. But they refuse to take
his path and the continuance OF