The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-11
UNCLE SAM
WON'T PAY
Island Postmasters In
Dismay.
NO MONEY FOR STAMPS
Sent Their Supplies To Washington
for Redemption and Get
Nothing.

Postmasters from the different Is
land postofiices who sent the stock of
Hawaiian stamps in their possession to
the Postofiice Department at Washing
ton to have them redeemed, will have
TO whistle for their money for some
time to come. The United States Gov
eminent has decided that such stamps
as We're purchased from the Hawaiian
Government will have to be paid for by
the Territorial Government, which is
the successor of the Government of the
Republic. and into whose treasury the
money for these stamps was paid.
When Inspector Flint was here he ad-
vised all postmasters to send their
stamps TO the Federal postoffice, saying
States Government whether 1t should
pay for the stamps or the Territorial
Government. but the matter has been
considered by the Attorney Generals
office at Washington, and from there
an opinion has come to the effect that
il is necessary for the Hawaiian Gov
eminent to pay for the stamps.
Governor Dole has received letter
from Edwin C. Modden, Third Assistant
Postmaster General, wherein it is an
nounced that. notice has been sent to
postmasters of the Territory who have
RENTED the stock of stamped paper on
hand at their respective offices at the
close of business on June 49, 1900 to the
Postmaster Generals office at Wash
ington. that no credit can be allowed
them for such stamped paper. 1t is an
nounced that the Territorial Govern
ment will be expected TO reimburse
them.
An abstract OF opinion of the Assist
ant Attorney General upon which the
ruling is based. is appended to the let
ter. 1t is lengthy opinion in which
the Assistant Attorney General argues
all around the question.
The Republic of Hawaii, he says,
''Or the provisional Government, has re-
ceived the face value of every stamp
issued to it's postmasters. and this
money is now in the treasury of the
Territory of Hawaii as provided by
section 81 of the act of April 80, 1900.
The Hawaiian Government rendered no
service for this money, and why then
should the Territory retain the same
and ask the Postoffice Department OF
the United States to settle it's obiga
tions with the postmasters of the Gov
eminent which ii succeeded?
IF Congress had intended to assume
the obligations of the provisional Gov
eminent to it's postmasters arising
/ from the payment or deposit by them OF
| money for stamp stock issued which
/ would have been equivalent to paying
the Territory of Hawaii the face value
Of every sheet of stamped paper ISSUED
To the postmasters under the govern
ments which it succeeded, would 1t mo-
have so provided in direct terms, as i
did i'm the case of the assumption O
the public debt of Hawaii and thu
amounts due to depo5itors in the Pos
tai Savings Bank?
The conclsuion is inevitable tina
Congress intended the provisional Gov
eminent to settle accounts with it
pOstmasters up TO the time at whicl
the United States should take charg
of the postal establishment and tina
If any stock should remain in such of
fees at that time the postmasters wer
either to be given credit therefor Il
their accounts, or to have refunded tn
amounts paid therefor or deposited a
security. The provision that thes
stamps should be destroyed by tn
Postmaster General OF the Unite'
states confirms this conclusion, and hi
certificate of the destruction of sucl
stamps is ample warrant for givinl
credit 10 the persons, in their account
as pOstmasters for the amount there
of. or for refunding the money paid o
IL the Territory of Hawaii canno
refund out OF the moneys in its treas
ury received from the provisional Gov
eminent, the amounts deposited or pal,
by the persons who We're postmaster
under the former postal establishment
for stamps Issued to them. then
should ask Congress for authority {
do so; for there is no reason, to m
mind. why the Territory of Hawai-
lsh raf OF
Inspector Flint in his report of Jul
Sd, To which attention has heretofor
been called, states that number o
former postmasters of the Hawaiian
Government failed to comply with hi
Instructions, but instead, sent tn
stamps remaining in their hands to al
agent in Honolulu, and secured thei
redemption at the Honolulu postoffice
thus attaining the point contended 70
that the United States should redeem
all stamped stock in their hands a
postmasters. I think you should in
| Struct th.. iuSpeCtOTs to ascertain tn