Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-03-26

from taxation, pray, where are the
finances to come from to run the ma"
Chinery of Government?
Our legislators should never lose
sight of the fact that our agricultural
prosperity is the keynote to a respect
able self maintenance, and that local
:: :. :; :: :! :: 90 :: :. u I: u .: - " . u
reduction, such an amount to the tax
payers to be applied to legitimate gov
eminent expenses. The estimates for
salaries and payrolls for the fiscal year
Is $500 600 Allowing Sl,0OO,O0O OF
this to be subject to the one per cent
political assessment, we have $4,000
which the taxpayers paid for purely
partisan expenses. The purpose and
intent of government salaries Is for
the payment of services in public adj
ministration. not the Advancement OF
any political party though it be the Re-
publican party. Propositions Of this
character put in plain English repre-
sent one per cent of graft.
If the Legislators or tax payers want
TO know where to start in to reduce
salary expense their attention Is re-
specially directed to the heads Of de
paItments 1t is fair to presume that
the gentlemen occupying these positions
are competent men. 1t is also safe TO
presume that none of the present in
Cumbents would have refused to aC-
Cept the offices had the salaries been
$1,000 a year less than the present figure
nor would the offices have gone beg
ging for want of competent men to APP
ply for the positions. Fully $4,000 a
year, or y per cent on a million dol
lars could be saved among the heads Of
the departments without impairing the
public service the slightest. One-hall
per cent on a million dollars is care
fully figured by the milionaires to in
crease their income; why should il not
be done by the taxpayers and their
representatives?
Admitting for the sake of argument
that clerks salaries correspond with
the ruling rate of the business houses
there are mighty few II any govern
mcnt employees who devote the time
/ to their duties that is required of the
clerk In the business house. In bust
ness, time is money. In the govern
ment administration, time counts only
with the laborers on the road or the
| employees of some mechanical depart
ment. 1t was Representative Rob
ertson who stated on the floor of the
House during the days of the Republic
that "A public Office is private snap.
| In the business house the man must 1T
the position. In the government, the
officials who go to work anywhere from
eight to nine o'clock in the morning,
quit at four with liberal time for
| lunch, and find that the work Is get
| ting behind, makes demand on the
| Legislature to provide more assistance
10 supply an overworked department.
The principle that time is money as APP
piled in business should apply in gov
eminent and particularly a government
paying such a large proportion of its
income for salaries. Hawaii could in
crease the working hours OF Its clerks
two hours day wicnOut working a
hardship on any clerical emplOye-
and save another one per cent on mil
lion dollars.
One of the most distressing propos'
ais in the luxurious scheme of salaries
is the intention OF some at least of OIL
Legislators to add to the salary expense
by suDsidizing county supervisors, ant
cOunCilmen OF prospective cities at the
rate of $500 a year and mayors at the
rate of $500 and $1,000. These loca
government Legislative officers are L
receive more than members of the Leg
islature, hundred per cent more thar
half of the men holding similar posi-
lions in mainland communities, while
the mayors Of cities with 10000 popu
lation are to be paid more than thu
governors OF not few States and with
I in forty per cent as much as our owl
, Governor, the United States Distric
, Judge and the Delegate to Congress
/ Curiously enough the proposed luXur
ious salary rate emanates from tn
Senate which has reduced the respons
, Utility and authority of these officer
, to a minimum. The situation is mos
remarkable. Some of our good peopl
. seem to be convinced that the highes
aim of government is to pay salarie
and elect men to Office under laws s
, restricted as to make the chief dut
OF the officials to draw the cash an
q look wise.
! The United States government ha
= not found 1t impossible to obtain me
e and first class men at that to fill Office
e in Hawaii at the mainland salary rat,
5 There is an equal proportion of famil
e men in the Federal service here as i
e the Territorial service and these Fed
e eral officers do not find themselve
;. forced to live in shacks or confln
= themselves to diet of rice and non
e my in vain struggle to exist. Til
= Bulletin cannot blame Territorial EN-
y ployes or officials for wanting hig