The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-30
MUNICIPALITIES.


have Honolulu improved at the ex-
pense of the other Islands. A poor
reason is said to be better than none
but the reason in point is SO poor that
we cannot give it even that compare
tive value. The Advertiser in advising
against hasty changes in our political
system has no wish to compel the other
Islands to make them in self defence;
and surely an attempt to give Homo
lulu such an advantage as the Hilo
paper suggests, could have no more
certain effect.
The next Legislature will not be con-
trolled by this city. 1t will no doup,
act justly in the apportionment of pub
lie moneys and if it does so, Honolulu
will profit in ratio with the taxes it
pays. So will Hilo and all other towns
and districts.
Now as to the merits and dement's
of the proposed Hawaiian municipali-
ties. Such bodies can raise plenty OF
money by direct taxation and by bond
ing but that means. as the Hilo paper
permits an editorial contributor to
state, an increase of taxation from,
say, $40 in a given instance, to $500.
The question with us is, would the
things to be gained by the outlay be
worth their cost?
Perhaps they would be if we were
sure that the aggregate revenue would
go into needed public utilities, minus a
small percentage in salaries. But the
trouble is that the salary list gets the
lions share. That Is the reason the
ob-chasers are so eager. Already The
vultures sniff the air in expectation OF
a carcass. Every man who wants the
taxpayers to support him in gildied
idleness, is hurrahing for a municipal
ity. Every paper which hopes to get
into public printing ring where fav-
oritism will award contracts at three
prices thinks that a municipality is
the one thing TO save us. The taxea,er
looks upon municipality as the hun
cry tramp looks at the dinner he
wants but is not willing to do an nom
est job of work for. Given city govern
ments for Honolulu and Hilo and there
viii be offices enough created L.. carry
on great state. Where one official now
does the work required we shall have
boards galore: the police force will be
quadrupled and the places given 10
white heelers; paid Board of Alder
men and score of needless depart
ments viii follow; we shah have rings
and things and fine array" and the
happiest and most prosperous men in
town will be the contractors who do
public work on the mud-brick principle
and the officials who "divvy'' with
them.
Looking at the matter in this way
the Advertiser is strongly impressed
with the wisdom of staying as we are.
We are small community taken as a
whole. All the white people in the ISL
ands are hardly enough to man an or
binary county-seat town In the East
ern States; the entire population, oc-
cupying eight island is not much
more numerous than the population of
Los Angeles and about half of it is
transient. Common sense argues that
for these people one set Of local Off
Gals is enough and this apportionment
we have in the Territorial offices. Why
employ three sets. Territorial, County
and Municipal? What is to be gained
from Ii except by the officials them
selves? The plea of "Americanism" is
very cheap but 1t can be used to sup
port the District of Columbia idea Of
government quite as easily as 1t can
the New York or San Francisco idea.
The question is not of ones national
origin but of what will keep down ex-
penses in Hawaii; what will make the
city more satisfactory to residents and
alike. The principle here
involved is worldwide and is not to be
profitably discussed from a narrower
There is demagogic atten, OF, in this
matter, to convince the landlcss citizen
that fresh taxes due to county and
rule would fall upon the
rich, who are able to bear them and
hat. therefore, more money would
somehow come to the less fortunate
But this is sadly misleading argu-
nent. A rich man compelled to pay
more taxes on his property would add
I TO the rent. We ask the landless
.tizen II rents and the cost of living
generally are not high enough now?
Perhaps, when Hawaii fills up with |
white men and their varied interests !
ne Islands cannot be governed wl,n- |
tut minute subdivision of respon- !
utility. If so, well and good But the |
line has not yet come and meanwhile |
he plain business argument is to have |
Is low taxes and as simple and eco |
lomlcal methods of government as |
ong experience has enabled us to pro- |
Tide