Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-26
TO MEET A DEFICIT
Gov. Carter Cutting Down
Hawaiian Expenses.
HAS NATIVES SUPPORT
LEGISLATURES DISPOSED TO
CARRY OUT HIS PROGRAM.
Its Acquiescence Regarded as Phe-
nomenon-Leper Colony Cannot
Be Neglected.
pecial Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
HONOLULU. April IL, 1904.
Gov. Carter seems after ALL to the general
surprise and qualification, to be having
things entirely his own way with the newly
met legislature. This is only their fifth
day of session, and If all things run as
smoothly as they have begun, they will
finish their very important work within one
week more. The territory has been and is
in a most severe financial strait. The gov
ernor has been giving himself most reso-
lutely, and 1t Is believed with skill. to
devise the best financial methods to solve
its difficulties. Having elaborated his plan
he has convened the legislature In extra
session to give it legal authority. 1t is the
same body of men who year ago reck-
lessly squandered time and money for four
months fruitlessly. A majority then dis
played the greatest disregard for legislative
propriety and honesty. 1t was naturally
felt that neither reasonable nor efficient
dealing could be expected from the same
men in acting upon the difficult financial
conditions.
The Financial Conditions.
To state briefly what these are: The
revenue Of this territory was. by annexa-
transfer to the federal government of all
revenue from the customs and post Office,
leaving the territorial government only the
taxes to depend upon, besides a number Of
sources of income, such as waterworks and
rent of wharves and public lands. The
treasury was in somewhat plethoric con-
dftfon when annexation came, and for the
past four years we have been living upon
our own accumulated fat. But this has
come to an end, and the government has
been finding itself confronted with month
ly expenditure of say $4,000 and an in
come of only $4,000.
For the past six weeks Gov. Carter has
been diligently applying himself, with the
aid of the several heads of departments, to
the almost desperate task of cutting down
expenditures nearly one-half. This task
he has accomplished after fashion, and
probably as jrdiciously as was possible.
large number of salaried positions have
been struck out There has been general
reduction in the amount of salaries, espe-
cially of the larger ones.
The appropriation to volunteer military is
abolished, dispensing with such display.
The band is dismissed, with its music,
which for over thirty years has delectated
the public on all occasions. The subsidy to
the Queens Hospital is withdrawn, threat
ening to leave much suffering unreieved.
The costly system of education is sorely
cut into. The board of health is largely cut
down. Road and street improvements are
remorselessly contracted, except as some OF
them are provided for under liberal loan
act. Altogether the whole public system is
placed on short commons
Warned Against Legislature.
Such is the governors scheme, all elab-
GRATED in full schedule, published and SUBJ
mitted to the legislature. The business
community regarded it with favor. as an
unavoidable economic necessity, but how
would the legislature, largely composed Of
Hawaiian natives, receive 1t? Their treat
t., xylr,,c arctn
had been largely irrational and might be
described as monkeying. What ground
was there for hoping now for reasonable
and efficient dealing? The young governor
was earnestly warned against trusting the
business to the legislature. There was an
other method possible Of managing it. It
grew out Of provision in the organic act
enabling the executive in the absence of ap-
propriations to fall back on older appro-
priations. 1t had resulted from the legal
invalidity of the county act, that all the
county system had become invalidated.
and the way seemed open to let the execu-
tive arrange his own system OF expendl-
lures. This he was earnestly Dy many
counseled to do, in distrust of the leg1sla-
ture.
Wisely. as it would appear, the governor
discarded that policy of distruSt, and sum-
moned the legislature to act He mas pre-,
the people are largely incompetent Polyne-
slams. In any case. within a year a new
set of men from the same constituency
would have to come together with full pow
ers. 1t seemed better to act In accord from
the beginning, with the popular body, how
ever defective their past record
The Legislature Responsive.
And they seem to be answering very
nobly and worthily to his confidence These
same men, who a year ago in the lower
house, both republicans and home rulers.
pursued a course of both unreason and
gross corruption, came together last week
with full purpose to accept entire the gov
errors financial schedule and railroad 1t
through without discussion or alterauon.
This they are actually carrying out. There
are two or three dissentients. men who
were prominent evil workers last year. But
now these malcontents are promptly over
ridden and silenced by the overwhelming
majority of the governors supporters 1t
Is a remarkable phenomenon. The only
tendency to difficulty is in the senate.
where is a majority of very intelligent
whites These men naturally see points
where the governors figures and plans
might be amended, and incline to make
such amendments But rather than arrest
or interfere with the wholesome DISPOSE
ton of the lower house. the senate will
probably forego urging their amendments.
Natives Won by Gov. Carter.
Altogether it is a phenomenon. 1 incline
to account for 1t by what is a peculiar Ha-
vaiian trait, to gather enthusiastically
about a leader who gains their confidence.
Soon after assuming the office of governor
George r. Carter made an active political
tour of the large islands of Hawaii and
Maui There he diligently and very sue
cessfully got himself en- rapport with the
native voters and their leading men. He
evidently exercised a large personal mag
netism, and fully got the confidence of the
people at large. Now they are enthusiastic
in his support, answer eagerly to his voice
and are ready to do Just what he tells
them l do not know how else to account
Z LA z,