The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-12-06

To PRESIDENT
Continued from Page ID

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| February of this year, l made a COM
| parison of the taxes. with the best
| figures ohtainabIe, on the people in
Porto Rico and Hawaii, the result of
which was astounding.
| Every person in Hawaii is taxed for
local purposes $500. and an indirect
| AK for the support of the Federal Gov
| eminent of $7.90-a total of $2310 a
| year.
| In Porto Rico the total tax collected
amounted to 1929 per capita, and the
| whole of that Gas they contribute moth
| ing to the Federal Government is ex-
pended in their own development.
Our people have endeavored to make
good this drain on HawaiTs finances
by asking Congress for liberal appro-
priations. such as for public buildings.
These demands have been met by the
reply that cities of a much largAr
population have been clamoring for
ears for a public building without
success. and though Congressman will
admit the business of our position from
financial point of view, yet they
claim they can not vote for a public
building in Hawaii until the wants of
their own constituents are first met.
In my study of the problem I have
never found a satisfactory solution. I
see no way of undoing that which has
been accomplished by annexation. Our
people do not care to ask to be re-
lieved of burdens that every other
American bears, but I have the follow
ing suggestion to make which, if it
could be worked out would, to a con-
siderable extent, furnish relief, and
therefore have in my Annual Report
made it the first recommendation as to
needed legislation for Hawaii
That Congress pass an Act under
which the Secretary of the Treasury
shall cause to be set aside for a period
Of twenty years seventy-fve per cent.
of the internal revenues and customs
receipts from Hawaii as special fund
TO be expended in this Territory, as
directed by Congress, for the follow
ing purposes:
First. The erection of educational
and public buildings.
Second. Harbor improvements ana
military and naval defenses.
We have precedent in the Act APP
proved June II, 1902, relative to the
reclamation of arid lands, where Con-
gress created a special fund in the
Treasury of all moneys received from
the sale of lands in certain States for
specific purpose.
If you can recommend in your Mes
sage legislation by which Hawaii will
be placed on a footing more nearly to
that of Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, with whom she must compete,
and thus to some extent be relieved
of contributing to the general support
by applying the revenues taken from
these small, distant islands toward
their own development and defenses, it
would be fine and come nearer a solu-
ton Of the problm than anything else.
The American people have ever been
Jealous to provide literally for educa-
ton. Hawaii can tax her people no
higher, and her current revenues are
insufficient, SO that she is obliged to
borrow the money with which to build
her schools. If the people of the Unit
ed States only knew how we are strug
Cling to supply teachers and buildings
for the natural increase of children, and
the wretched structures we are obliged
to USE they would, I am sure, willingly
forego the money they are now taking
out of the Territory and apply it 20
educational purposes alone.
My suggestion goes further: We
here in Hawaii are anxious that the
defenses of these islands be strengthen
ed so that they can by no chance ever
be a source of weakness; and after a
reasonable provision has been made for
educational and other public buildings,
no wiser expenditure could be made
than applying the revenue taken out of
the islands toward their own defenses.
I only wish I had the ability to pic
ture our conditions and make our needs
known, for notwithstanding we are so
small and insignificant, yet I feel GER
tain these islands can be made a
source of great pride and reflect much
credit on our country.
Very sincerely yours.
G. r. CARTER,
Governor