The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-02-07
MERCHANTS
TALK TAXES
(From saturdays Advertiser.)

The Merchants Association mas III
structed its tax committee to act as
Joint committee with others to be ap-
pointed by the Planters Association
and the Chamber of Commerce in an
endeavor to frame a tax scheme that
win meet with the approval Of the
commercial community and Of the gen.
eral public, and do away with the evils
of the present tax system. The secre-
tAry was instructed at a meeting of the
merchants held yesterday afternoon to
notify the other bodies Of the action
taken, and request them to appoint the
required committees.
The Merchants Association met for
the purpose of considering the tax re-
port presented by it's committee, Messrs.
james Wakefield, H. F. Wichman and
IT. j. King, although Mr.. King did not
sign the submitted report. The meeting
yesterday was not, at the first, large
one, although number Of members
dropped in while it was in progress.
President Smith called the meeting to
order, and regretted that the import
ance of the subject matter under dis
cussion had not called out fuller at
tendance. He said that the report of
the tax committee had been published,
and had caused considerable comment
favorable and otherwise, and that in
this relation one of the members of the
committee had in his possession letter
from Mr.. Bowen, of Castle & Cooke,
which he thought might be read as the
best method of bringing the whole sub
ject OF the report before the meeting.
The letter was accordingly read by
Secretary Trent, as follows:
Honolulu, February 2, 1905.
Mr.. George w. Smith, President Mer-
chants Association
Dear Sir: Referring to the report OF
your committee appointed to deal with
the "Suggested Amendments to the
Present Law Providing for Tax on
Real and Personal Property" / write
as follows:
l. A Minor Criticism Paragraph
No. of the report should be placed as
No. q, because the definition" of
~'Personal Property" should come be
fore any law upon the subject.
2. Definition of Personal Property
In the definition of personal property
there should be no reference to "publiC
stocks and bonds,' other than of spe
cifc exclusion character. The Law should
clearly state that all property must OF
material and tangible, and, as such
both real and personal, should be taxed
wherever found, always exlusive, how
ever, of notes, mortgages, deeds, o.
other title papers, book accounts, stocks
and bonds, which, in the law shall b.
specifically regarded as only evidences
of property and therefore non-taxable
8. Doubtful Character of Paragraph
No. 10-Of course, No. 10 is intended
as a protection to Island merchants
Its full aim need not here be gone into
But, no matter how desirable, or just
it may be, it's place in the law come
more under the department of incom
taxation than under the property ia,
provisions. But, even so, its feasibilit,
would certainly be tested, along con
stitutional lines, such as ga discrimina
tion tax law" or "a law in restrain
of trade.'' 1 am sure the agencies, o
semi-agencies, would at once refer t
and apply all of the rules and regula
lions of Interstate Commerce." etc
TO upset it.
A. Your Committees Recommends
ton ought to be looked into where, a
the close, they would retain from "Sec
tions S21 to section S37, inclusive, o
the Present Tax Law" If my impres
sion is correct there have been som
changes in some of those sections. If
understand correctly, all that pertain
ing to fire and life insurance has nov
been placed under the care Of specia
insurance commissioner, which is diffel
ent from the plan named in the section
referred to touching upon insurance r'
turns. Probably the Committee Intend
ed, however, not to interfere with e,
listing laws more than upon the point
named in their report.
8. One Subject Not Touched Upon
Your committee probably also though
(if thew contaminated it at ally thg
1T might not be in their province t
make special study and report relatiV
to the advisability of doing away a
together with the so-called property q
tax law, known as Enterprise fl
Profit where taxation is attempted O
Gan aggregate value" plan. This pla
has always been unsatisfactory. In I'll
first place it involves return an