The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-28
". 0, SMITH
TEST|F|ES
Before Committee
Hearing Fire
Claims.
HIS STORY OF
TIE GREAT FIRE
Why Congress Should Help Terri
tory Out in The Matter of
Fire Relief.

US your Iull name.
Mr.. Smith-William o. Smith.
The Chairman-Where do you reside?
Mr.. Smith-Honolulu.
The Chairman-Are you holding any
official position there?
Mir. Smith-Not at present.
The Chairman-Have you ever done
so?
Mr.. Smith, was attorney general
with Mr.. Dole for six years.
The Chairman-How long have you
resided in Honolulu?
MIR. Smith, was born there in 1S4S.
The Chairman-You have lived there
all your life?
Mr. Smith-Yes. sir.
The Chairman-You say you were
attorney general?
Mr.. SmIth-Yes. sir: for six years.
1 am now practicing law.
The Chairman-You may proceed.
Mr.. smith, will speak very briefly
on account OF my voice. 1 am suffer
ing from n severe cold.
AS annexation approached We tried
to accumulate reserve in the treas
ury. because we knew that We would
lose the customs duties. We had seven
or eight hundred thousand dollars
which. unfortunately. was exhausted
IN suppressing the plague. 1t was not
used at all in paying Claims. The mat
ter or the investigation and adiudica-
ton OF claims has been gone into with
paid. Many OF these people were Ash
atics. many Hawaiian and others. and
many were absolutely impoverished. 1
am one OF the trustees of the Lunalilo
Home, which is really the national
poorhouse. and 1 have known of two
cases OF Hawaiians who lost everything
and had to go to the home there for
refuge. Many. many families of people
have lost everything. Many OF the
Chinese merchants and Hawaiians
have claims and they VIII have TO be
paid.
Losing the customs and these other
revenues that Mr.. Pratt has spoken
OF has crippled the local treasury very
much. but on account of these claims
that were made long after the public
works will be very much circumscrioed
IN the appropriations which now exist.
or course, large part of these appro-
priations are FOR public improvements
which. OF course. viii have 10 remain
undcne or unperformed unless We get
money from somewhere.
senator Cockrell-What kind of pub
lie improvements are they?
Mr.. Smith-Roads and bridges and
things OF that sort-public buildings.
roads and bridges and wharves. A
good many people have come into the
country. and the cost of opening up
the land and making the road and these
public improvements is very great; out
of them. The only other way in which
we can get money is By borrowing. and
there was a way. with the approval OF
the President of the United States, by
which money could be borrowed; but
now our borrowing power simply de-
penSs upon the taxing power.
Senator Cockrell-Your borrowing ca
pacity depends upon the existing laws.
In the cases of the Territories?
Mr.. Smith-Yes. sir; under our law
And then the organic act provided that
no money should be borrowed or bonds
issued without the approval OF the
President.
The Chairrran-You are not allowed
To borrow for this purpose by the or
ganlc act?
Mr. Smith-No. sir.
The Chairman-Your idea is that IN
der fhe existing laws you have no po"
or to borrow or sell bonds for this pur-
pose?
Mr.. SmIth-Not for this purpose. or
even for any purpose. The title OF the
public property Is in the United states.
All the credit that We can borrow on
H. cur taxing power, and that Is pretty
well strained now.
senator Cockrell-About the rate OF
axes. Can the Territorial government
determine the rate OF assessment?
Mr.. Smith--It is 81 tax on every man
between the ages of 20 and 30 years Tor
"A 81 school tax.
The Chairnan-He must pay that or
work II out II ne has TO money 10 pay
IL. as we do here?
Mr.. Smith-Yes. sir. Aside from that
we have provided for bridges
Senator Cockrell-That is not includ-
ed In the public expenditures, is II!
MT. Smith-Nes: but aside from that
we have nut up perhaps - bridges that
were required in Hawaii last winter
some iron, some steel. some stone ana
wood.
senator Rlackburn-As I understand
i-ou. the borrowing power OF your local
government is limited TO your private
taxable property because the tile OF
that public land Is in The government
OF the United States?
Mr. Sluith-Ecs. sir.
senator Blackburn-Aud that under
your law YOU can not issue any bono
as evidence OF money borrowed except
with the approval OF the President OF
the United states, and you nave no
power at all To issue boods TO raise
money 10 pay the claims that you ~ Z
| asking US To consider?
Mr. Smith, So understand the ia"-
The Chairman DO not know wheth-
or understand your answer 10 Se- -ll
| Cockrells question, and DO not A.-"'
| that / understood him. i underS'oou
him TO ask YOU whether or not the
| ncrey-S2 for each individual-whic q
was expended on the roads is lnc.u =
| in The aDpropriat.Ou that we heatu
| read when Mr.. Pratt made his state
| went. Is that s. road tax part OF the
| appropriation?
| Mr.. Suith-Tcs.
| The Chairmon-How much wou'i
\ that amount to- 81,
| Mr.. Smith-The-e would be- ioF 'l7
| whole island
| ~ Pratt-The road tax Is per cap
ia ~ OF S2-awountinC last year %
| Sos 90 only. and the school tax 10 q
| similar amount. all gathered INTO tHe
} ss-.--,,,,,-,t ,,,n,l and paid out for improve