The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-10-17
PREPARATION

the subject of the revision of the taxes
and the division of the Territory into
counties. with the adequate aud proper
government OF the same I'm the mat
ter of the taxes there has been proyis-
son made for committee. which COM
mittee should go to work and from
time to time let the results of it's work
DE known. The revision and readjust-
ment of the taxes should be no star
Chamber affair. no secret meeting bust
ness, but should be clear and fun so
that citizens should themselves have a
clear comprehension of what will be
proposed, before the matter goes before
the Legislature.
Taxation is something that every one
from the lowliest upward is interested
IN. 1t is true that taxes at times bear
unjustly upon some and are too light
upon others. This charge is an old one.
II was the cause Of endless trouble and
struggle in the small republics of
Greece. 1t was the cause of similar
troubles in the early Roman Republic
and it was the glazing scandal Of the
the Empire. The villainous system of
taxation under the French Monarchy
was at the root of the French Revolu-
ton, it was at the root Of the overthrow
of Charles / which led him to a scaffold
as it later did Louis XVI of France and
thousands upon thousands of the best
and noblest blood of France Taxation
pendence, and served to bring about
the birth of the mightiest power the
world has yet seen.
We have before us plenty of lessons
upon how taxation ought not to be
done. This is matter which has occu-
pied the brightest intelIects Of both
theoretical and practical men for years.
Every now ana again some one comes
forward with q universal panacea. 1t
is not wise to rush at once into any
PARTICULAR system, but 1t is wise to
carefully consider every system and to
see whether it will suit our conditions,
and whether IL may require modihca-
tons before being adopted. There is
plenty of work for the good citizen to
do in this direction. If this work is not
done we shall be going into the next
session unprepared We may cry out
against the system offered, but we shall
have nothing but make shifts to offer
in its place. We are citizens of a free
Territory. We have the management
of our own affairs, and the price we
have to pay for SO managing them that
they shall be satisfactory is to look
after them ourselves and not delegate
the duty to other and frequently in
competent hands.
Then there is the question Of NUM-
cipality. At the last session of the
Legislature the municipal acts Of the
cOntending parties never got beyond
the embryo stage. Both were framed
for only one city, Honolulu. This The
Star believes to be a mistake The
municipal act should be general and not
special. Cities having reached certain
stage of development should be able to
organize at once under the general act
and should not have to wait for special
legislation in their case, legislation
which might be blocked by jealousy or
greed. This is the tendency Of muni-
cipal legislation on the mainland, and
wherever it has been followed out it
has proved thoroughly satisfactory.
That we need municipal government
in Honolulu most men will agree. The
subject has been discussed and argued
long before annexation took place, or
the independent Republic was estab-
Hshed. 1t was a question for debate
in the time of the Monarchy. 1t is as
well that the cit. charter was not
framed at that time. 1t would not nave
been suitable at the present time, and
it would have been precedent for spe-
cial charters which is thing to be
avoided. Special charters really date
back to Monarchy. The Monarch con-
ferred rights in return for favors re-
ceived What the true republican be-
1ieyes in is no copferring of anything,
but the right to claim without favor Of
Monarch or Legislature, or any other
power. Having reached certain stage
of development, there should be no
hesitation, no asking, it should legally
come as a Roman boy assumed the
toga virilis of right, or young man Of
modern times is emancipated from legal
paternaI control when he comes of age.
1t is right not favor that a developed
community should claim. That is the
true essence Of Americanism.
There is plenty Of work cut out for
us in these vital directions if we will
only give attention to them. These are
matters Of the utmost importance to
ourselves and to our children who are
To follow US. 1t is a great deal better
TO lay foundations for the future than
20 be wasting our time pickering over
this office and over that, criticising not
because there is cause for criticism, but
simply using the method as weapon
to attempt to break an opponent wheth-
er right or wrong. Politics is not
still hunt for place. If place comes il
is the duty Of a citizen, If he feels him
10 ,.,,bIa IN as4ant a aya1 with all