The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-13
MERCHANTS
OPPOSE
LICENSE
Do Not Want to
Pay the
Tax.
They Think It is an
Injustice to
Them.
Dealers in Special Lines Requir-
ing inspection Should Pay
for That.


before the legislature asking that there
be no license tax whatever placed on
merchandising.
That was the conclusion reached at
a meeting of the Merchants Associa-
ton held yesterday afternoon at which
there was representative attendance.
George W. Smith called the meeting to
order and stated its objects, briefly.
We are met he said, Gin response to
! the invitation of the caucus of Republi-
can members of the legislature to give
| that body our views of the license pro-
visions of the new county government
bill. The bill, as it stands, in its Ii
cense provisions will mean practically
the enactment of the old law. 1t was
prepared in its present state by the
committee because the members, only
one of them being a merchant, had at
that time nothing better to offer. 1t
has been thought by the caucus that
the merchants might prepare a better
bill, and the caucus has therefore in
vited the consideration of this Asso-
citation on the matter, with a view to
the instruction Of its own public af-
fairs committee. who are invited to
meet the caucus at 2 p. m. on Satur-
1n,v ,
might go to the proposed meeting prop
erly instructed. 1 would say that Rep
resentative Chillingworth has also pre-
pared a license bill. to take the place
of the license provisions of the county |
government bill. but like the county !
government bill itself that is objec-
tionable. AS to the original bill, it |
is too burdensome. too great a tax
Take, for instance, this section:
Sec. ESQ. Each tax collector must
make diligent inquiry as to all persons
in his county liable to pay license as
provided in this chapter, and must re-
quire each person to state, under oath
or affirmation, the probable amount of
business which he or the firm of which
he is member, or for which he is an
agent or attorney, or the association
or corporation of which he is president,
secretary or managing agent, will do
in the next succeeding year; and there
upon, such person, agent, president,
secretary, or other officer must procure
a license from the tax collector for the
nd ola FO, ION
such party is liable to pay; and in all
cases where an underestimate has been
made by the party applying, the party
making such underestimate. or the
company he represents are required to
pay for license for the next year
double the sum otherwise required"
That" said a member on one of
the back seats, 'is absurd
Precisely" replied the chairman.
1T remains for you, gentlemen, to in
struct your committee as to the action
% be taken. 1t is hoped, also, that as
many members of this Association as
IAN possibly will attend the meeting
IN Saturday afternoon"
Mr.. Rothwell thought that the whole
natter should be referred to the public
affairs committee for its action. that
committee to report at a meeting of
he Association to be held, say, on
Thursday.
Mr.. Harris thought that the Asso-
,iation at large could discuss the mat
er now, the more especially as the
ime was so short for action. and the
chairman said that the meeting had
,een called for just that discussion, to
he end that the committee should go
,efore the Republican caucus with in
tructions from the Association.
Mr.. Iacfarlane thought that drum
ners should be licensed as well as
Merchants. but since it had been shown
nder decisions on the Interstate Com
nerce Law that license on drummers
ould not be collected, the merchants
tho had stocks of goods here, and who
aid property tax and income tax would
e fools is they also tied about their
wn necks a license tax burden. He
rould recommend TO the legislature
be entire abolition of the merchandise
cense Under the law as il was pro-