The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-10-12
SAM
WON'T PAY
Island PostmasterS In
Dismay.
NO MONEY FOR STAMPS
Sen. Their Supplies To Washington
for Redemption and Get
Nothing.


land postofiices who sent livestock OF
Hawaiian stamps in their possession to
the Postof1ice Department at Washing
ton to have them redeemed, will have
to whistle for their money for some
time to come. The United States Gov
ernment has decided that such stamps
as were 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 postofflce. saying
that 1t would be decided by the United
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
1t 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 IL, 1900, to the
Postmaster Generals office ut 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 IL a 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 Postofflce Department OF
the United States to settle It's obliga-
tons with the postmasters of the Gov
ernment which 1t succeeded?
III Congress had intended to assume
the obligations of the provisional Gov.
W I'D I'll ioihS
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 1t succeeded, would 1t not
have so provided In direct terms, as 1t
did In the case of the assumption OF
the public debt of Hawaii and the
amounts due to depositors In the Pos
tai Savings Bank?
The conclsuion Is inevitable that
Congress intended the provisional Gov
eminent to settle accounts with its
postmasters up to the time at which
the United States should take charge
II any stock should remain In such Of
fees at that time the postmasters were
either to be given credit therefor In
their accounts, or to have refunded the
amounts paid therefor or deposited az
security. The provision that these
stamps should be destroyed by the
Postmaster General of the United
States confirms this conclusion, and his
certificate of the destruction of such
stamps Is ample warrant for giving
credit to the persons. in their accounts
as postmasters for the amount there
of, or for refunding the money paid or
deposited as security therefor,
II tne lerrltory OF hawaii cannot
refund out of the moneys in its treas
ury received from the provisional Gov
eminent, the amounts deposited or paid
by the persons who were postmasters
under the former postal establishment
for stamps issued to them, then 1t
should ask Congress for authority to-
do SO; for there Is no reason, to my
mind, why the Territory of Hawaii
should retain this money.
Inspector Flint in his report of July
80, TO which attention has heretofore
been called. states that number of
vide 1t | suppose. Some of tho post
masters in the Islands sent their
stamps to this city and had them re-