The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-04-24
SOMETHING OF A BURN,
A. B. Lobenstein Talks Loans
and Needed Improvements.
The Lethargy of the LawfMakers-Ef-
forts should bes Made to save In
terest-6O Per GCent. Sugar Divi-
dends TO Planters-Works Required.

MR.. EDITOR:-Mr. Thurston's co.
gent reasoning comes at right time
He justly observes that it is condition
| an not a theory that confronts us, fol
we need roads, bridges, wharves and
we must raise money to pay for them
How is this money to be raised? Is it by
| philanthropic contributions of from
| loan funds?
! At the opening of this Legislative
session there was read a message from
the President outlining the policy OF
! the Government for the coming two
years and advocating the issue of bonds
| for loan funds. This idea was further
developed by the introduction of exec
utive measures with that end in view.
We have been given to understand
that the committee to whom these bills
were referred, propose to report
the same adversely; in other words,
that they propose to pit themselves
against the all but unanimous demand
of the constituents who elected them.
We will endeaVor to overlook the
lethargy that appears to have enveloped
our lawmakers, nor will we be so I'M
charitable as to accuse them of skulk-
ing, shutting, Sinking or imbecility.
1t is within the bounds of possibility
that we shall awake some morning
from our peaceful slumbers to find that
their proves in matters legislative
will have shaken the pillars of Hercu-
les, but at present, alas, only forty days
still remain out of the ninety allotted
by Constitutional limitation for the
measures so necessary to the future
welfare of the country.
That saving of $4,000 annually to
the taxpayers of this country should re-
ceive any thoughtful consideration is
an aspersion upon the intelligence of
any law-making body. To accept
proposition which means converting in
to passable wagon roads from ten to
twelve miles of present COW path and
mud slough on the island of Hawaii is
senility indeed.
That any municipal council, board Of
aldermen or governing body in some
crossroads township would be only too
glad to effect such saving doesn't
count. That the voters of these islands
who would express their views on this
subject tomorrow, if given the opportu-
nifty, and that in no uncertain tones,
either, also doesn't seem to count. Elec-
ton day is still a long way in the flu
Now will some of our friends who OPP
pose this funding scheme enunciate
more plainly their views why it is bet
a low one, why saving which means
still more money for internal improve
ments, should not be effected when it
can be effected.
No doubt our friends, the beneficial
ries of the sugar interests, will earn ire
mendous dividends this year from their
undervalued and undertaxed proper
ties, tumble from 60 per cent. divi-
dend to a mere bagatelle of per cent
interest on public loan is not to be tcl-
Grated, and as we already own theS
bonds which it is now proposed to call
in, consolidate and refund at lower
rates than what we are now realizing,
so will we oppose any such legislation.
That we would knock reciprocity into
a cooked hat tomorrow, that we would
discard the spirit of annexation we have
invoked, for other new gods, will al
ways depend upon what we can get for
our sugars.
Given 4 cents pound under recip-
rocity and annexation, or 6 cents a
pound in the London markets, does
any sane person dream we would hest
tate in favor of the latter? Would it
not mean 2 cents more per pound for
our depleted purse Of 60 per cent. divi-
dends on 25 per cent. tax valuations?
So much for the sugar side.
But the laborer, the artisan, the me-
chanic, the farmer, the shop-keeper,
the small borrower naturally want to
know why the rule is not sufficient in
his own case, why he is not the benefi-
ciary to the same degree in the ratio
between a per cent. and per cent.
interest. He is not the land-holder,
but he is the taxpayer, and he must
pay the difference, a difference of $40,-
000-and he puts his foot right down
and he says to you, Gentlemen of the
Legislature, we elected you to carry
out certain pledges. Economy in eX-
penditures was one, policy of internal
development the other. Dare not trif1e
with this trust" The handwriting is on
the wall.
And we say, furthermore: Gentle
men of the Legislature, that the Exec
utive knows a good deal more about the
pressing needs of the country than you
do: that they have formulated a
scheme of necessary work which re-
quires certain outlay; that the voters
with the exception of few plutocrats
are in accord and sympathy with this
policy, and that that policy will brook
of neither delay or bad faith.
1t is the taxpayers, the bread-win-
ners, the bone and sinew, the men with
out whose support this Government
would fall to pieces, who do not coax
but claim the consideration to which
they are entitled.
and the consideration they demand
and claim is that the Funding bill and
the Loan Act must and shall be passed,
and the fund for immediate internal
improvements thereby created.
Lastly, gentlemen, you have claim
ed for yourselves a certain prerogative,
whatever that may mean; the word
was never coined before in the legisla-
tive body of republican institutions
Forget not we pray you the prerogative