Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-02-15

DO on roads and bridges, or nearly two
and third times as much as the Ter
ritory expended for similar purposes
out of general funds during the last
year before the establishment of
county government. Much hope has
been set upon proposed appropria-
ton of 100000 by the Territory for
roads in the several counties, while,
as matter of fact at the rate just
Indicated, the Legislature practically
appropriates for a biennial period
nearly four times that amount by turn
ing over to the counties for road pur-
poses revenue to that extent. although
1t does not specify that it is for that
object. In other words, under present
conditions local government is a sieve
for Territorial funds; there is no
limit to the amount that can be used
or that will be desired.
This is not necessarily an indict-
ment of county government Much of
the increased expenditure is inherent
ly necessary; much, as, for instance,
that which is expended on roads is ex-
pended for excellent purposes and may
be expended wisely; even if much is
expended unwisely, the increased ex-
penditure may be sufficiently compen-
stated for in the educational value and
the possible greater degree of salts
faction which comes from local gov
eminent. The fact remains. however,
that all these expenditures REQUIRE
vast sums of money and that If they
are allowed to continue to be in
creased as they have been increasing
during the five years of local govern
ment, there must be an increase in
taxation, just as there was during the
previous five years, although for diff
ferent reasons. County revenues, al
though liberal at the start, have in
creased by almost one-half, or from
about nine hundred and fifty thousand
dollars to about one million four hun
dred thousand dollars year during
the last three years. Assuming that
the establishment of local government
Is justified, it does not follow that we
should be satisfied with its results, if
they can be improved What is the
remedy?
The result has been precisely what
might have been expected under the
system of common money bag, with
no fixed responsibility and merely
question of how large a share of the
common fund each could obtain. HUI
man nature and the methods of cleo
lions are such, as shown by expert
ence the world over as well as here,
that members of the Legislature, how
ever high-mnded they may be, tend to
regard themselves too largely as rep
resentatives of their respective con
StitIIpnpipC for tho purppcp Of uoftipu
what they can for them and too little
as members of a central legislative
body whose first duty it is to legslate
for the welfare of the country as
whole. The natural result here has
been constantly increasing demand
for funds for the counties and a con
slant granting of such demand by
turning over large sums, and that, too,
in greater part with no limitations
upon their expenditure. What incent-
I've can there be, except a high sense
of public duty, on the part of Terri
tOrial officials to economiZe, when
there is every reason to expect that
their savings will be turned over to
the counties; or what encouragement
if, however painstaking they may be,
they are thereby deprived of the
means of doing advance work or even
good routine work. and what further
incentive is there on the part of coun-
ty officers to economic, when the ac-
emulation of surplus would be
prejudicial to- and the want of a sur
plus an additional argument for,
larger share of the common funds, and
when there is no apparent and practi-
cally no real connection between econ
omy on the part of any one county and
the cost to the people of that county?
The inevitable tendency under this
system is to gorge the counties and
starve the Territory; to turn over to
the counties biennially nearly a mil
lion and half dollars for roads and
nearly twice that amount for all pur-
poses, and allow such Territorial in
situations as the Boys and Girls In
dustrial Schools and the Insane Asy-
lum to get into their present disgrace
full condition and the public schools
and the public health to go begging
The Territorial executive cannot do
with nothing. 1t cannot.
however economical and efficient it
may be, maintain such institutions and
perform its proper functions success
fully upon half-rations The RESPONSE
bility is on the Legislature to make
adequate provision for these needs,
but under the grab-bag system this
has thus far been found impossible.
Sooner or later the rate of taxation
must be increased unless there is a
change in the system. There can be
no escape from this through an at
MT IN OF hn dc ~ IA
counties by constantly increasing their
from Territorial funds. The
system is loose, illogical and unbusi-
nesslke. There Is lacking the one
essential to safety and soundness -
definite responsibility and independ-
ence. That cannot be brought about
without a separation of the sources of
revenue. 1t may be contended that
these conditions can be remedied
without disturbing the system, but
that is to disregard history and human
nature. We cannot expect to operate
successfully here by methods which
have been found unsatisfactory else
where under equally favorable condi-
tons The Territory and each county
should stand on its own foundation
with its own sources of revenue. to be
increased or decreased independently
according to needs and with the rela-
ton between the pockets of the peo-
pie and the expenditures of their rep
direct and conspicuous.
The principal sources of revenue are
the property, income, personal, inner
itance and insurance taxes and public
land rentals and license fees The