The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-08-28

ance and commissions because Of th,
high value Of the sugar, all this I'M,
made no difference to the laborer be-
cause his bonus fluetuates with the
gross market price and not with the
net returns to the planter after all
these marketing expenses have beer
with sugar at today's price--aev.
en- and one-half cents, the planter does
not get seven and one.half cents as
very heavy marketing expenses have
to be paid but the bonus for the time
being, TO the laborer runs on the sever,
and one-half cent price. Therefore. Il
seems to me that the laborer Ia being
justly and literally dealt with.
fretghts viii Go Higher -.
Again, in looking ahead, next year
We viii pay higher freight rates, how
high, no one can tell, as ships are
scarce and we hear Of freight rates
running as high at $50 per ton across
the Pacific. NJ
Another very important item IA the
question of taxes which the nIanfa.
ton bears the whole burden Of and
which DO not affect the laborers' bo-
mus. All territorial taxes have i'm
ereased 10 per cent, federal income
tax may also be doubled and excess
profits tax law is in course Of being
framed, so that it is a sure thing that
taxation, as n whole, will absorb one.
fourth to one-third of the plantation
profits for 1917, 1918 and as long as
war expenses have to be provided for.
Tenney Of Same Opinion .IE-f7 fst
=. ID. Tenney, president of the Ha>
waiian Sugar Planters Association OK.
presses similar views as 10 the propor.
tion OF the increased sugar profits that
will go to plantation laborers and the
reduced dividends and added war taxes
OF the stockholders of the company. He
expresses the belief that the Inborer
will. reap the larger share. sd
This assertion he explains by point.
Ing out that II has been estimated that
the Eva Plantation Co. will have to
pay, out next year in the neighborhood
of $55O,00O in territorial and federal
taxes II the proposed rates of taxation
as included in the federal tax bill as
II was reported to the senate by the
nnance committee are imposed
Since the bin was reported the rates
OF taxation have been increased enor
mously rs the estimated revenue 10
be raised has been increased by about
nifty per cent over the amount estimat.
ed IN the bill as originally reported.
The basis Of the taxation estimate was
the profit on the 1916 business of the
Eva Plantation Co. which was the sum
of $l,750,000. - -
Besides the great amount of money
the sugar planters will have to pay
put as income and excess profits taxes
the plantation shareholders also will
have to pay income taxes on the divi.
lends received. As proposed in the
federal tax bill the individual income
tax win vary from four per cent up
% forty five per cent dependent upon
size of income. .s n
II is estimated that the laborers will
This year receive bonus Of at least
seventy per cent. The pay roll for the
Eva plantation last year was $64O, 900
excluding bonus and on this basis the
employees VIII this year receive in
bonuses approximately $44S, 900.
Mr.. Tenney asserts that in these
lines Of world war with no one know
ng what each day will bring forth IL
would be the height of absurdity for
/ plantation company not to provide in
ADVANCE for the payment of these taxes
md portion of the profits will be
for this purpose. g. T." co., e.