Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 399, 29 February 1892 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

"E Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono."

 

KA LEO

John E. Bush

Luna Hooponopono a me Puuku.

MONDAY, FEB 29, 1892

 

WHY WAS HE SENT?

            The question has often been asked but never answer: why Dr. Mott Smith was sent to Washington.  He had given up his residence here and Hawaiian citizenship, and for the past six or eight years has been in business in Boston.  It is also still fresh in the minds of many here that he was for some time a treaty agent for the Hawaiian government at Washington, where he distinguished himself by making a remark in the hearing of Secretary Blaine.  That "the whole Republican party is rotten."  It is hinted that he will not be received by the President and that no treaty will be made with Hawaii unless she sends an acceptable envoy to negotiate it.

 

THE WAY HOW

            The Daily Bulletin being owned by cabinet ministers and their relatives, it naturally is displeased at the independent way KA LEO had of handling public questions, particularly those relating to the monarchy.  This is no more that might be expected, and we have no complaints to make.  Public functionaries are apt to be built that way.  To find a public journal speaking the truth without fear and without favor, sets such peopleʻs teeth on edge, and sends cold shivers down their spines.  When as in the present instance, they happen to own a newspaper, their grief and consternation are sure to find vent in its columns.  KA LEO being owned and edited by John E. Bush can think and say what it pleases.  It is not handicapped by a lot of stockholders who either howling for dividends, or waiting for the crumbs that fall from the royal table.  If our life and health are spared we shall continue to enlighten the public mind, and lacerate the feelings of the Bulletin and its Ministerial owners for some time to come.  They had as well get out their umbrellas; the shower is not near over  In fact it has only just begun.

 

            THAT STATE DINNER.

            We were highly amused with the peculiar features said to have occurred on the occasion of her most gracious Majestyʻs State Dinner, on Friday last.  The whole affair was a success except in the novel innovation made in the introduction of one of the prominent characters of the times.  There seemed, among the novelties of this change a general misapprehension as to the particular uses for which knives and forks and spouse are used on State occasions.  The description much reminded us of a similar event given in honor of a South Sea potentate at which a favorite servant was privileged to take up a dish and liquid refreshment to wash down its content with.  This was not so much remarked as it was known to be the custom among semi-enlightened South Sea Islanders, but such favoritism are relics of the past and is unusual in civilized society.

 

OUR PRESENT SITUATION.

(Communicated)

Editor KA LEO:

            I deem it to be the duty as well as the privilege of every patriotic citizen to discuss public affairs and to put forward and advance all such ideas as appear necessary for the public good.  One object of such discussion is also to elicit discussion from others for the purpose of throwing light upon the subject discussed in order to show the correctness or fallacy of the ideas advanced.  If people would only discuss more, and be less dogmatic and positive about asserting their ideas, probably the public generally would be more benefited and there would be less injury done to body the politic.

            I have been much interested in reading the paper a series of articles upon the Hawaiian Monarchy.  It is reading these articles which has induced me to write this letter.  At the present time affairs in Hawaii are at what might be called a very low tide.  Nearly ever one is depressed and is looking forward with some apprehension to the future.  It is very certain that unless there should be improvement in the outlook in the near future the revenues of the country must soon be very much decreased and with a decrease of revenue comes the i@@@@ty to pay our running expenses and our debts.  As soon as we cease to pay interest on our debts and our expenses, disaster must come.  The wise man looks ahead to the future and plans his expenditures according to what his expected revenue is to be and thereby, when depression comes with disaster, is better enabled to meet and contend with the disaster.  But do we see any signs of such wise forethought on the part of our officials in this country?  I fear not.  We hear no talk whatsoever of cutting down the heavy expenditure which is made in our country for the expenses of government.  When we consider the expense of carrying on our government in connection with our revenue, with the size of our country, with its population and then compare this with the expenditures of other country in like circumstances, the contrast in indeed depressing, and perhaps appalling.  If we look at the appropriation bill passed in the year 1890 we get a very good idea of what it costs to run the government.  The appropriation bill amounted to nearly 3,127,600.  No inconsiderable part of this was made up of the expense of maintaining royal state with some permanent settlements, and an immense list of salaries  It is certain that these salaries and expenses will all be paid in full and if the revenue should fall short it will be cut off from those improvements which are intended to benefit the whole country, but which were more particularly aimed at opening up the far distant interior of the country and making connection with the sea ports, whereby the whole country would be benefited by the increase in value of the lands which are thereby opened, giving an increased revenue to the country in increased taxes.   Already, if we are to judge by the quarterly reports made by the Finance Department, we find that at the revenue is decreasing, but with decreased revenue we shall have no decrease in interest which we must pay.  And we all know that the public debt has largely increased and that in a most insidious manner.  When the act was discussed in the Legislature of 1886 to negotiate a loan in England, it was a very public thing, and people understood all about it, and feared running into debt.  The act, however, finally passed and we find that the public debt on these bonds now amounts to over a million dollars.  The appropriation bill of 1890 provides for the payment of interest amounting to $420,000 and yet if we look at the returns of the Minister of Finance from quarter to quarter we find that another debt has increased until now it is not far from one million dollars; that is amounts deposited in the Postals Savings Bank.  This is a debt of the government as much as the debt on the bonds, and this debt is liable to be drawn out at any time.  We know that there is not sufficient money in the treasury to-day to pay one-half of that debt and if it should all be called for, the government might become bankrupt.

            The session of the legislature is approaching.  What is to be done with regard to all these thing?  We cannot see exactly how we shall decrease the expense of government.  The salaries now paid to police officers, district judges and other officers of that kind throughout the country are small enough; they cannot be cut down  In the same manner if we should attempt to cut down the salaries of higher officers, the ministers, clerks of departments, or to decrease the expense of royalty, we should also find protests.  There must be increased amounts to pay the interest on the public debts, and with decreased revenue, how shall we have anything at all left for those improvements in the way of road building, the laying of buoys and preparing of landings to permit the country to make that progress without which we shall go to ruin and decay?  To be Continued.

 

ON DIT.

             That the "prize chroma" scheme of the nupepa Kuokoa is an utter of failure.

            That the house building boom i Honolulu is about over and that it will be difficult to find tenants for all the houses built recently.

            That one of the distinguishing features at the late State Dinner was the commanding presence of one of natureʻs noblemen.  There were many others present, but he was chief among them all--chief of electrocutionists.  Queen Victoria may learn etiquette from Hawaii nei yet.

            That a poor native living at the classes retreat called the Blue Gate was hauled up and fined for selling grog without license, but that there are other retreats not a hundred miles from Waikiki and the Half Way House where as much of the stuff stuff can be had without fear of being disturbed by any of the "forest body of men."

            That the house building boom at Pearl City is just about to commence--20 years hence.

            That the Oahu Railway & Land Coʻs. shareholders will shortly receive a handsome dividend, and the same will consist of a slice of the "beautiful scenery", gorgeous climate fruitful soil: that is to be found lying around promiscuously in the vicinity of Pearl City.

            That owing to the fact of U.S. Government returning to fritter away several cool millions at Pearl Harbor for the sole benefit of a few Honolulu land sharks, there will soon be plenty of cheap shooting to be had on MY LANDS at Ewa.

            That is is one of these things which no fellow can understand, viz; what at the close corporation called the Government Survey Bureau are doing upstairs in those rooms of theirs.

            That a good instance of how it is done in Hawaii nei is the case of the Lanai prisoners who guilty or not guilty, will have to languish in durance vile during the next four months before they are tried by the court.

            That when any outside work has to be done, such as the surveying of the Punchbowl. Tantalus or the Pali roads or the Molokai.  Kohala Hamakua water suppliers, the Government Survey Bureau are not up to it and have to employ softly outside help.

            That the Survey Bureau has been in existence for goodness knows how many years, and yet they have not managed to produce a set of Historical Researches--we mean, a decent set of maps of the whole islands that are of any practical use.

            That it must be galling to Englishmen to see their Diplomatic representative take rank after the representative of a second rate power like Portugal, and simply because Portugalʻs man has a more highfalutin title; and that at the Bishop of Olbaʻs funeral, the English Consul or rather Vice-Consul had to play second fiddle to the consuls or such one horse States as Denmark, Peru, Belgium, Netherlands and Mexico.

 

Platform of Principle OF THE HAWAIIAN NATIONAL LIBERAL PARTY.

            4. A more just and perfect system of Taxation must be inaugurated, to abolish the present inequalities, by which the property of the poor is excessively taxed, while much of the rich manʻs goods are under-valued for assessments or entirely escape taxation; we shall therefore demand the passage of laws that will more effectually subject the property of corporat@@@ and rich citizens to their just proportion of public burdens, while granting more liberal exemptions to the poor, and as a means of discouraging the locking up of large tracts of uncultivated lands, a differential tax should be levied in  addition to the usual assessment on valuation which should be in proportion to the fertility of the soil. We shall also favor the establishment of a graduated income tax, and thus expect to obtain ample funds for conducting the government and attending to all necessary public improvements without any further calls on the masses.

 

MONOPOLISM

            5.  We shall use our efforts to @@@@@ laws by which all favoritism in the government and all monopolies, t@@@@@ @@@privileges to special classes shall be rendered impossible, by full, definite and mandatory statutes.

 

PROTECTION TO HOME INDUSTRIES.

            7.  We are in favor of encouraging @@@ home agriculture and industries, !!!!! our native products, like rice, coffee, wool, tobacco, etc. should be protected and fostered by proper tariff regulation; and also it much be the duty of the Government, in its contracts and other @@@@tions, to give preferences to national products over imported ones.

 

LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT

            8.  We desire a more liberal policy towards the different islands of the Kingdom, outside of Oahu; they should receive a fairer proportion of the public moneys for the development of their resources and the satisfaction of their wants.  In fact, the principle of local Self-government should be extended, whereby giving localities may choose the most important of their local executive officers, and levy taxes for the purposed local improvements of a public nature.

 

PUBLIC SERVANTS

            6.  Better laws should regulate the Civil Service.  The principle of the election of officers of the government by the people should be established, and no man should be allowed to hold more than one office of profit, whilst salaries should be adequate compensation for the services rendered.  All excessive salaries should be reduced and all s@@@cures or superfluous o@@@@@ abolished.

 

PROTECTION TO THE LABOURING CLASSES.

            9.  We shall endorse all measure tending to improve the condition of the working classes and consequently, without injuring any vested rights, we will advocate laws to prevent a@ further importation or employment of contract-labor of any kind, upon conditions which will bring it into a ruinous and degrading competition with free Hawaiian or white labor.  We shall also, in the interest of the better protection of the poor, ask for more liberal exemption of their property from forced sale on execution, and from seizure in bankruptcy proceeding.

 

SMALL FARMING AND HOMESTEADS.

            10.  The wealthy fraction of our population have hitherto prevented the development of an independent class of citizens; the public lands have been acquired and have been tied up in a few hands or parceled to suit favorites, and small farmers and planters have been driven out by corporations or combinations of capitalists; but as small farming is conducive to the stability of the State, it should be encouraged by a new and more liberal Homestead act, by which the ownership of small tracts of land and the settlement thereon of families or our peasant population,--and especially of the native Hawaiian who have been left almost homeless in their country-should be rendered possible.  To that end, the Government and Crown lands, (in so far as can be done without invading vested rights) should be developed as soon as possible to homesteads and conferred upon bon-fide settlers free of taxes for a limited period.

            It should be the further aim of government to, at once, so far improve the means of transportation,--local, national and international,--as to provide, in all the districts, cheap means of coveting the product of the soil to market.

 

ELECTORAL RIGHT.

            11.  We hold that upright and honest manhood, and not the possession of wealth, arbitrarily fixed, should @@@@@@@@@ right to vote for noble as well as representatives, and no more power should be accorded to the ballot of the rich man than to the ballot of the poor man  The discrimination in favor of wealth now made in our Constitution is contrary to all the eternal @@@@@@ of right and justice, and must be abolished.  To this end, we will for a leveling of the present distinction of wealth and classes which blemish our laws with respect of the right to vote for nobles, thereby rendering to the native Hawaiian privileges which pertain to them in their own country, and of which they have been unjustly deprived.

 

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS

            12.  We favor the expenditure of sufficient sums to secure a number of needed public improvements on Oahu and other Islands; school, railroads and harbors and wharves, public light, and also a thorough system of reservoirs and water-works, not only for Honolulu but through-out the other Islands.