The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-23

improvements.
The reports on the financial require
ments for the coming period, contain
statements of estimates of the Gov
ernment income for 1901 both by the
Treasurer and the Auditor,-the total
estimate of the former being $2,314000
and that of the latter, $2175, $50. These
estimates assure the government sufli-
cient funds for the satisfactory con-
duct of the affairs of the Territory,
excepting in the matter of public i'm
provements, unless some unforeseen pu-
bile misfortune should occur calling for
large expenditures.
AS the authority of the Territory to
incur Indebtedness is limited and FIN
ally subject to the approval of the
President it is desirable that the Legis-
lature should study the question of in
Creasing the current revenues by me-
thods which will distribute the burden
of taxation as fairly as possible and
gradually reduce the necessity of bor-
rowing money for public improvements.
The present public debt not inClud-
ing deposits in the Postal Savings Bank
of the Republic of Hawaii, which have
been assumed and paid by the United
States, is $4,1S6, 400. The United States
have still to pay SO, ,235, 1850, leaving
as the public debt of the Territory
$3.50, 970.31.
The provision of the Territorial act,
section 90, relating to loans limit
the amount of indebtedness that may
be incurred in any one year by the
Territory, TO any one per centum upon
the assessed value of the taxable prop
erty of the Territory as shown by the
last general assessment. The assess
ment for the year 1900 showed a to-
tai valuation of $97 49l, ,5S4; cOnsequ-
entity the Indebtedness that may be in
CURED i'm the first year of the next
biennial period is 1914 1854, and the
same amount or more for the second
year. The total loan suggested in the
estimates is ST ,946 800 one half of which
may be incurred in each year of the
coming period.
The report of the Treasurer shows
that the sum of S7y9,000 has been ad-
vanced to loan accounts from current
funds since the legislative session Of
1898. The estimates provide for the re-
turn of this amount to the current ac-
count and it's appropriation as current
funds. Although this course is not alb
solutely necessary, yet it is very desr-
able that it should be followed for this
reason: a very large part of the reve-
nues are received from taxes on prop
erty during the latter part of October
and the first two weeks of Novem-
Der. With our present surplus and the
monthly revenues from other sources
as shown by the Treasurer several
months before property taxes are col
lected, unless the return to the current
account of loan advances as above
suggested, be adopted
| recommend the passage of a loan
act for a larger amount than at pres
ent required, under which the Legisla-
ture at each session may appropriate
funds as may be required, thus OBJ
waiting the necessity of passing a new
loan bill al each session. Such a course
was adopted by the Legislature of 1896
and has been satisfactory.
In connection with efforts for the
suppression of the bubonic plague,
which was epidemic in Honolulu dur
ing the winter of 1899 and 1900, a num-
Der Of buildings and other property
We're destroyed by the Board of Health
and a larger number of buildings and
a greater amount of other property
We're destroyed by the great fire of
January Goth, 1900, which was the ac-
cidental result of a fire started by the
Board of Health as a measure for the
suppression of the plague. BY this dis
aster a large number of people were
rendered homeless and suffered serious
loss of property.
In response to a suggestion of the
Executive Council, the following tele-
gram was received from the Secretary
of State "The President approves the
appointment of the Court of Claims to
consider losses caused by the burning
of Chinatown and to make awards and
judgments on such losses to be paid
out of appropriations made by the
Council of State in conformity with the
Hawaiian law" Such a court was ap-
pointed on the second day of April, 1900,
and principles and rules established
for it's government The court began
operations at once, but the Council of
State, upon being called together, re-
fused to appropriate funds for the eX-
penses of such court on account of a
disagreement of the Council with the
principles and rules for the government
of the court adopted by the Executive
Council The court thereupOn ceased
operations.
The matter is now referred to the
Legislature of the Territory.
Although, as a rule, sovereign states
are not; and the Republic of Hawaii by
its own laws was not legally bound to
recognize in damages claims arising
from such causes; and there is nothing
in the brief message from the Federal
government which makes ii clear that
| the President intended to authorize a
departure from the usual rule and Ha-
waiian law, my view of policy in this
matter is as follows: The bubonic
pldSuT Win lue resulting OealnS, lne
losses by FIRE and the danger which
for months menaced the whole island
population was a national misfortune,
which should as far as possible be borne
approximately by the whole commun-
ity Consistently with this view the
tax payers should assume a reasonable
proportion of the losses of the sufferers
in this calamity, but no logical theory
requires them to assume the whole of
such losses, as the sufferers are equally
called upon to bear their share also.
What that proportion should be is
difficult to say; it can only be decided
arbitrarily.
! The fact however that many house
holders and proprietors of premises
that became infected, by their own cul-
pable neglect of cleanliness in their
surroundings not only invited infection
but gave plague germs a foothold
| from which it was most difficult to dis
lodge them, is a circumstances that
should greatly reduce awards of dam
ages to such persons if not indeed
cause their claims to be refused alto
gether.
The matter of awarding damages is
one of such difficulty and dalicacv m a