The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-21
THEY MEET.

The first Territorial Legislature has
convened and the two houses are prac-
ucaly organized. Representative
Akina of Kauai has been elected
Speaker of the House. The other Off
Gals of the House of Representatives
have been nominated and elected, and
this branch of the Legislature has been
permanently organized. The Senate is
only temporarily organized, two of the
members are not present and it was
decided to await their arrival till per-
manent organization takes place
The first question that has come up
is the question of the use of English.
The lower house conducted it's proceed
ings in Hawaiian, but Representative
BeclIley of Molokai showed by quota
ton from the organic act, that all pro-
ceedings of the House including the
motions presented must be in English,
as a record of them must be kept in
that language for transmission to Con-
gress. The question of debate in Ha-
wall, may or may not be an open. 1t
is probable that the matter will come
up before Congress. However an in
terpreter has been chosen.
The proceedings in the Senate, on
the other hand We're conducted in Eng
fish, but as the Senate has not COM
pleted it's organization, it is impossible
to say in what language it intends to
conduct its proceedings.
AS far as the courts are concerned
proceedings must be in English, and a
juror must understand English other
wise he cannot serve. Addresses to
the jury must be in English, and all
documents presented to the courts
must be in English, or, where they are
old documents, be accompanied by an
English translation.
The intention of Congress with re-
gard to the Legislative proceedings
was doubtless the same as it was tow
ards the courts but it is not so clearly
expressed and consequently there is
room for disagreement upon the point.
As has been said above now the Leg
islature is actually in session and the
Lower House has taken to debating in
Hawaiian there will be attention call
ed to the matter and the point be
finally settled. This may or may not
cause Legislative delay.
With regard to the policy which will
guide the dominant party, no one can
at present tell. Matters that never
were put before the voters are said TO
be portion of the program, but there
has been any amount of rumor rife.
Ihat some of the measures will be radi-
cal in character we may expect. What
the Territory is most interested in is
the revenue measure. Much money
VIII be required to carry out the meas
nres which are expected, but the uues-
ton of where that money is to come
from is of the most vital importance.
AS was pointed out in these columns
a few days ago, it is no use voting or
authorizing expenditures, unless there
is money to pay for them. The tax
payer then wants to know upon whose
back the increased taxes for increased
expenditures is going to fall.
Another thing in the levying or rather
in the instituting of new taxes,
Legislature has to be particularly care
full as to the constitutionality of it's
measure Surprising that Il new tax
has been decided upon which will bring
into the treasury half a million of aldi-
uonal income, and the expenditures
are raised so as in the aggregate to
meet the additional income If when
the executive came to collect the tax
they ran up against a refusal, and test
ed the case in the Supreme Court,
where such taxation was declared lille
gal the Territory would be right up
against it, its income would be $500 600
short, and many most important ex-
penditures would have to go by the
Board.
The income tax if levied in the United
states would produce an enormous in
come, and one not burdensome upon the
poor man, but the Supreme Court
knocked that source of public revenue
very thoroughly on the head. And there
nave been many taxes which have shar-
ed the same fate. 1t behooves then to
give the most careful consideration to
the framing of tax bills, and those en-
gagged upon them should call in the hest
OF talent to assist in the work. Anv-
Ihing that savors of special class legis-
lation as such, would be unconstitu-
tlonal and would turn to the income
hoped to be derived from this source.
into fairy gold, elusive as a will o. the
wisp. -