The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-18
TAXATION AND
EXTRAVACANcE
Honolulu, March IT, 1909.

Honolulu, March II, 1909.
Editor Advertiser: I notice there is
some talk of raising the tax on the
property Of this Territory, which, when
we consider the high valuation put
upon property by the owners at the
present time, is considered high enough
already. This excessive valuation is
said to be at times twenty-five to fifty
per cent. above what it will bring in
open market, and from my own per-
sonal experience I know that there is
some truth IN this. For instance, some
time ago I sold piece of property in
this city for $1,000 that had been as
sessed for years at $4,000, and many
Others have had a like experience. I
would also say that this method of
raising money is always Objectionable,
and when unnecessary it is doubly so.
Again, it is said by those who evident
" known what they are talking about,
that it takes two or three times more
money to run this government than is
necessary; and if this is the case there
is evidently something wrong some
where. If this is the case, and no one
seems to have taken the trouble to
dispute it, there is presumably either
waste, extravaganza, incompetency or
some bad system being employed or
used in the method of conducting this
government.
And if such is the case, the situa-
ton should be looked over carefully,
and if there is any abuse or waste OF
extravaganza it should be stopped at
once. Each and every department of
the government should be scrutinized
carefully, and anything that is objec-
tfonable. wasteful or extravagant should
be eliminated and corrected at once.
A system of retrenchment might also
be instituted, though I can not say
that it should be begun with the teach
ers. which would not amount to very
much anyway, and particularly when
there are other means that can be EN-
ployed. But in place of retrenchment
new officials are being created and new
obligations incurred. which will evil
IDENTIFY put this cumbersome method Of
government still deeper in debt, and
without adding particle to its eff
ciency.l
Now what 7 want to say is this, and
it is only reasonable to say that it
should be done; and that is to first see
If these abuses really exist, and, II
they do. to have them corrected.
Careful and economic measures are
now the order of the day in all we'll
conducted businesses and enterprises,
and without which no business can
hope to thrive or exist; and it is only
fair to see that these methods should
be applied to all government works
and institutions here. Indeed, 1T IS
the more necessary to see that a gov
eminent is run in careful manner
than it is for a private enterprise,
because more depends upon it. In
deed. I consider that it is imperative
that this matter should be looked into
and thoroughly examined, so that we
should know absolutely and to GER
tainty Just where we stand. And | do
not consider that it would be just or
fair or honorable to increase the taxes
until this investigation has been made.
For if it is done, and there is any
waste or loss or extravaganza going on,
it is certain that it will increase and
multiply. and therefore we should be
in a worse plight in years to come than
we are now.
To increase the taxes would be OBJ
iectionable for several reasons, but
mainly because it would prove hard
ship to many that find it difficult to
succeed here now, and because it would
in .some instances debar others from
coming here, and possibly drive away
many that are already here. Very
truly, GEO. ooboh1N1 +
--.a- A.e.----