The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-04-14

WOTkS All 1IlOeDlcQIItSS Oh SO,ct7,VOV mas
been incurred.
The total per capita tax of every
man. woman and child in the Terri
tory is now over $22 per annum.
The cost of living in the Hawaiian
Islands is very high, owing TO the fact
that all the necessities of life, includ-
ing almost the entire food supplies,
are imported: the cost of government
in Hawaii is necessarily high, both
because of the high cost of living and
consequently higher salaries, and also
because of the machinery of govern
ment necessary on each separate is
land, and the high cost of interisland
communication. Road construction and
maintenance is expensive for the
above reasons, and further because of
the mountainous character of the is
lands and the numerous deep gulches
to be crossed.
During the five years since anneXa-
ton Hawaii has paid into the Federal
Treasury $6,323, 1922, or an average OF
over 600 per year. The annual
cost of Hawaii to us for collection of
revenues and for Federal salaries is
about $15O,000. The total of all FEEDER
al salaries. expenses and appropria-
tons for this same period, except de-
lenses which are for national protec-
ton, have been about S2,200,000, or an
average of $4,000 per year.
1T will thus be seen that, after de-
Quoting all payments and appropria-
lions that have been made for the use
and benefit of Hawaii, we have I'M
drawn a net sum of $4.-
100 600 from that Territory, or a net
balance of slightly over $500, 600 per
year, which has been Withdrawn from
the islands circulation and shipped in
gold coin to the subtreasury at San
Francisco.
ignoring, for the moment, the
wishes of Hawaii and acting only from |
a national standpoint, your committee
believe that for time, at least, three
of these revenues should be |
set aside to meet the need for public |
works in these islands and to assist
in building up substantial American
Territory in the mid-Pacific.
Among the immediate needs for !
Hawaii are: School buildings, $685.
300; roads to open new lands to set
rlement, $350,0O0; asylum for the in
sane, $4,000; harbor improvements at
Honolulu and Hilo, $2000,000; smaller
1arbors and landings for island ship
ping. $500, 900: Federal buildings, ST.
LOO 900; lighthouses, $4,000; total, So
l1S 900.
ITO the above should be added $685.
100 for Notifications and at least ST.
500 900 for the beginning of repair
station and naval base at Pearl Har-
Dor, appropriations for both of which
objects will be available from this
fund under the provisions of the bill.
First in Importance among these
TENS stands the need for aid to the
schools
For many years Hawaii has impos-
I'd upon her citizens heavier per
"a pita tax for schools than any State
n the Union.
since annexation that Territory has
over s., 250,O0O for the mainte-
lance of schools and for the erection
If school buildings.
THE educational problem of Hawaii
S of greater magnitude than that of |
my other Territory Seventy per
emit of the children enrolled in the
chools are of other than Caucasian
)arentage. In order to make Hawaii
thoroughly American Territory,
chools must be provided for children
f all nationalities. The Territory has
chool buildings, but the limit of safe
orrowing has been reached. Lack OF
unds has already necessitated a re-
uction of 20 per cent. in all teachers
alaries, and in those isolated islands
where the cost of living is necessarily
Ugh this reduction is keenly felt.
The nation expects higher ,
tandard and more general distribu- :
ion of education in Hawaii than in |
'orto Rico, yet we are putting into the !
'ederaI Treasury the very funds from ,
laval that in Porto Rico are given ,
} that island for it's educational and :,
eneraI expenses.
"A fiscal policy that is sound for :
orto Rico should be sound also for j,
Lawaii The mere fact that a greater ;
readth of political rights has been
iven Hawaii does not relieve her fl
anciaI strain. Nor does it seem just :
lat country which voluntarily gave ,
yer it's own sovereignty to enter the T
Mon should be made to labor under
arder financial conditions than one
equired by conquest.
Financially the business man and
lie average citizen of Hawaii is under
-eater pressure today than he was
the years preceding annexation.
hat fact does not lessen their loyalty
this country; but it is high reason
by Congress should permit that de- u
ched community to build up the
srritory along sound lines out OF
eir own resources.
"A community in which the citizens