The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-03-04
SPIRIT OF rs
WAS INVOKED
Act to Repeal Stamp Law Sets
the Senate 10 Talking
Coke Saves His Bill.
tlrom saturday Adyertiscr)


Visions Of the famous historic Yam.
kce frolic aud tea fest in Boston har.
Dor more than century ago could he
plainly seen during Senator Coke s
eloquent plea for the repeal of the ter.
.itorinl staulp act when senate Bill l.
sanc mp for passage on second reading
in the senate yesterday morning. Sen.
ator Coke s bill aims to repeal the
stamp law, which now brings consider.
able revenue to the Territory.
Senators Rice and Baldwin of the
Judiciary committee, sent in minor.
ity report against the passage of the
bill. This is what brought the brilliant
Young Democratic war horse tiom Oahu
to his feet.
1t was to free ourselves from just
such burdens as this stamp tax that our
toretathors went to war and fought for
the establishing of a new government,
said the senator. The present law, he
said, is so Anticipated that there is no
State in the Union where such tax
exists and, in the few instances where
the country has resorted to a stamp tax
to raise war funds or for other emer-
gency purposes, the law has always
been repealed when the purpose has
been met. The poor home builder, said
the senator, suffers most from this un.
Just tax. 1--WE in Hawaii, - he con.
cluded, care the only ones who inflict
a penalty upon the homobuilder.
Neither Equitable Nor logical.
He had an able champion in Senator
Metzger of Hawaii. Senator Metzger
announced he was opposed TO the stamp
law in the first place, because it is in.
equitable. The argument that the law
is necessary as n source of revenue for
the Territory, he said, is not logical, for
there are other means of taxation
which will more fairly distribute the
burden and these can be utilized if oc.
casion arises.
Senator Brown urged the repeal of
the stamp tax because under present
conditions, he said the law imposes an
extra burden upon the poor.
Senators Rice and Baldwin did not
attempt to argue against the passage of
the bill and it went through second
reading by vote of nine to six.
Only Visitor Now.
w. o. Smith, who was president of
the senate four years ago, was a visitor
| in the upper house yesterday morning.
| President Knudsen invited the former
president to seat on the rostrum, but
| Mr.. Smith remained only few mo-
ments after pleasantly accepting the in
| vitation.
Six bills, in all, were reported back
from the printing committee. With the
exception of senate bill No. all these
went to second reading. House bill so
practically the same rs the Chinese
| Fund claim bill in the senate, came in.
to the senate for first reading. 1t will
probably be tabled as the senate meas.
ure had already passed. Four bills came
out of committee for passage on second
reading. Two of these went through
without amendment but one was con.
| tested. This was the stamp tax meas
ure, which finally passed.
Chopping Banana Bill,
Chillingworth g bill tending to adjust
| the banana claims, came out of the iu-
dietary committee, badly disfgured.
With the exception of the word "an
act - the committee recommended what
is practically substitute for Chilling
worth s measure.
The expenses of the commission nm
der the new measure will be cut down
to $6l50. The sum of 100000 is appro.
priated to pay the claims which may
he adjusted, Senator Chillingworth
| Joined with the committee in endorsing
the amended act.
Senator Coke introduced the only bill
of the day, measure intended to reg
ulate the hours of labor of female chill
dren under sixteen years of age,
Senate bills No. and 2G went to
third reading.
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