The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-03-19
FOLLY OF CUTTING
TEACHERS SALARIES

Editor Advertiser; The Territory of
Hawaii is, at the present time, deeply
in debt. and governmental cNpendi.
lures are constantly increasing. Ia
order to make the amount of expend.
ture smaller than the amount of in.
come, two methods are feasibe--re.
trenchment of expenditures, or in.
crease of income.
Increase of income means increased
taxation, which is looked upon with
disfavor, especially by the rich. Re.
trenchment of expenditure seems
more agreeable method, aud we there
fore hear, among divers other meas
ures before the present Legislature, of
several bills proposing to further re-
duce the salaries of the teachers of
the public schools.
The folly of such proposed "cut-
ting of salaries does not appear to
be as evident as it should, and an emu.
meration of few facts may, there.
fore, be appropriate at this time.
l. The teachers salaries at present
are cut per cent. The schedule of
salaries, which is virtually contract,
and supposedly approved of and sup.
: ported by the Legislature, is, so far
as actual salaries is concerned, pleas.
ant fiction. So, to begin WITH the sal.
aries are 'below par,' the present cut
! falling heaviest. of course, on the
smaller, and most numerous. salaries.
2. The rapidly increasing cost of
living. both in Honolulu and in other
| parts of the Territory, already taxes
the present meager salaries of teachers
to their utmost; many teachers are
barely making a living and are,
moreover, definitely prohibited from
! adding to their scanty livelihood by
outside work.
| 3. The general movement every
where else is for the increase in the
salaries of teachers. Their tremendous
Importance in the welfare Of the State,
and in the true establishment of de-
mocracy, is realized more and more,
and everywhere on the mainland and
in many parts of Europe their salaries
are regularly and systematically adj
vanced The idea of reducing their
salaries is opposed to all sound ad-
vance, and in the Territory represents
n most retrograde movement.
4. The peculiar race conditions here
-
ficient and compulsory public school
system, that will weld these hetcro-
geneous peoples into an intelligent cit
izenship. Nothing is so destructive to
democracy as ignorance, most especial,
ly when it exists in large masses OF
propertyless people. Anything whatso
ever that prevents the education OF
citizens is most undemocratic and most
dangerous to the welfare of the Ter
ritory.
>. This proposed "cut" in teach
ers' salaries, resulting most surely il
inefficient public schools, thus effects
most seriously the majority of citizens
The rich can send their children t.
, private schools, but for the great mas
of the people, for the rank and file
for the citizens who are "the mass ;
as opposed to "the class" for thes,
: the public schools are of paramount
Importance. The future welfare O
their sons and daughters is directl.
and vitally affected. The verdict o
history has ever been that poor school
, and poor government go hand in hand
The teachers in the public school
are fundamentally the most importan
employees of the Territory. Compare,
with their stupendous task as citizen
makers, the duties Of road supervisor
and waterworks clerks is as the pratt
Ting of infants. The public school j
the cradle of democracy. Despots an
autocrats fear and hate them. TIL
great question now before this Terri
tory-indeed, the greatest question:
this, "shall We foolishly cripple GU
, public school system, endangering GU
= future political and social prosperity
, or shall we Systematically and increa'
!. ingly advance its efficiencyi"
VERITAS.