The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-12-08

higher than ours. Her production will
Increase rapidly and supply the west,
and poor little Hawaii will be left bear
ing its burden of taxes and contribu-
tions far in excess of the Philippines
and yet obliged to compete with them.
Senator Foraker once suggested that
he believed 1t better for Hawaii to
give up its present status as a Terri
tory and accept that of a posses
sion." working out her own destiny,
freed from the necessity of submitting
to the application of every law passed
by Congress in response to the needs
of conditions as they exist on the
mainland. Free to use all of the rev.
enues collected from her people in
their own development. Free to make
laws for her own conditions. relieving
Congress from the necessity of except
ing her from the application of those
laws passed in response to the needs
of the United States proper. In such
a position, all legislation by Congress
concerning Hawaii would be special
and considered only in the light of her
best interests, such as is in a general
way the position of Porto Rico. He
made this remark: 1--WE are taking a
| wall which we do not need, and we
| should find some way of stopping it."
In my message to the Legislature in
February of this year, l made COM
parison of the taxes, with the best
figures obtainable, 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
tax for the support of the Federal Gov
ernment of $7.9O-a total of s23.10
year.
In Porto Rico the total tax collected
amounted to 1929 per capita, and the
whole of that (as they contribute moth
ing to the Federal GovernmenD is ex-
pended in their own development
Our people have endeavored to make
good this drain on Hawaii's 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 largSr
population have been clamoring for
years for a public building without
success, and though Congressman will
admit the business of our position from
a 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 l have
never found satisfactory solution /
see no way of undoing that which has
been accomplished by annexation. Our
people do not care to ask to be re-
leved of burdens that every other
American bears, but 1 have the follow
ing suggestion to make which, If 1t
could be worked out would, to a con-
siderable extent, furnish relief, and
therefore have in my Annual Report
made 1t 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-five per cent
, of the internal revenues and customs
receipts from Hawaii as a special funt
to be expended in this Territory, al
directed by Congress. for the follow
Ing purposes:
First. The erection of educationa
and public buildings.
l Second. Harbor improvements an,
, military and naval defenses.
i We have a precedent in the Act ap
proved June II, 1902, relative to tn
n reclamation of arid lands, where Con
d gress created a special fund in TN
n Treasury of all moneys received fror
= the sale of lands in certain States 70
r specific purpose.