Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 192, 13 May 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

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

 

Ka Leo.

Wednesday, May 13, 1891,

 

NOTICE

Copies of the La Leo o Ka Lahui can be found every morning at both the News Agencies in town. Price 5 cents a copy.

 

FINANCIAL REFORMS

 

The second reform needed is in the mechanism for tax assessing and collecting.

 

At present, each island is fiscally under the authority of one tax-assessor-collector in chief, who gets a very fat salary for the position in which the only work he has is to appoint as many district-assessors as he may consider necessary to do the work for him.

 

The position of Assessor in chief is a superfluity, which costs the government and the people a large amount which could easily be saved.

 

Noble Horner and several other members of the Reform Party, in the last Legislature, spoke against these useless offices; and Rep. Marques, on behalf of the National Party introduced a bill for their suppression, both parties in the House thus being of the same sentiment on the matter; but the bull failed to pass in proper time through the revising committee, perhaps at the instigation of Minister Brown who tried several times to convince the Legislature that the Tax Assessors-in-Chief were the best government officers ever created, and probably they are so as a useless and expensive fifth wheel giving comfortable pap in exchange for fictitious work to a few family-compact favorites. There is no doubt, however, that the office is doomed in the minds of all thinking men and shall be abolished by the coming Legislature, who will transfer the nominal work and proper pay to those who really do all the material work, viz! to the district assessors.

 

The next question then arises here, as to how the district assessors ought to be appointed, so as to give the best satisfaction to the tax-payers, whilst carrying properly for the interests of the governments. The opinion seems to be growing that many of the government positions ought to be elective, and prominently among them stand the Assessors Collectors of taxes. The next legislature will probably have to decide the matter and devise a proper method, by which the tax-payers of each district shall elect the assessors-collectors, so as to obtain the best men available, men well posted in the true values of property.

 

The next point in connection with the Tax Assessorship is the kind of check which must exist over their work. If left to themselves and with the incentive augmenting their compensation through commissions of the taxes collected the Assessors may have, or may be of accused of a tendency to unjust assessments; the check must be in the shape of a proper Boards of Appeals. But those that we now possess, have not worked satisfactorily in several districts, because of the unsatisfactory appointments of their various members often obtained through favoritism.

 

The "Hawaiian Gazette" lately called attention to one instance of flagrant injustise, in the case of a Board in Hawaii, where the president of the Board is the father of the Tax Assessor, and consequently was accused apparently with justice, to favor his son against the appeals made by the public. It must certainly be very trying on a father's feelings to decree against any doings of his son, specially when reversing those doings may be injuring the son's compensation! At any rate, a proper reform in the methods of appointments to be important Boards of Appeals is another question that must be attended to, and if the present Minister of Finance is too conservative, or has not initiative or brains enough to devise adequate measures, the Legislature will certainly have to take the matter in hand; and here againt the question will be agitated very properly, as to whether these Boards ought not to be appointed in the different districts by election of the people.

 

These important points, as now reviewed, being disposed of, the Finance Department can furnish many more subjects of reform, which the Leo will have occasion to study later.

 

WAHT THEY SAY OF US

 

Hon. John E. Bush maintains a warm English paper in his native paper, "Ka Leo ka Hawaii" (The Voice of Hawaii). Mr. Bush was a great stickler for the rights of royalty once, but finding himself again in the pottage on the accession of Queen Liliuokalani the rankest republicanism is preached in his paper, an ditto is showing its influence, too, in the talk of natives. John is about three-quarters white, a convert to the tenets of the Seventh Day Adventists, and, to say the least somewhat fearless in both politics and religion. He was lately before the Supreme Court in bank for an editorial that appeared in his paper charging some of the judges with being murderers, for having ordered riflemen to shoot Kanakas in the insurrection of 1890. The Court let him off when one Kekoa, a native ex-member of the Legislature, admitted he had inserted the article without the proprietors's knowledge.-- The (N.Y.) Journalist

 

WORLDLINESS IN THE CHURCH

 

The greatest danger to the church of God to-day springs from the spirit of worldliness which is invading it. The criticism can be justly made that the church is used by multitudes as the arena of fashion. They go there to display their splendid apparel and to see what their neighbors or strangers are wearing. Fine feathers, costly laces, seal skins, silks and velvets, are more to such worshippers of mammon that texts of Scripture or correct expositions of them. The lust of the eye and the pride of life afford the most subtle and perilous forms of temptation. Thousands are unconsciously subjected to these temptations, and become their victims without being fully aware of it themselves. So little do they know their own hearts and secret impulses, that probably they would resent with scorn the accusation of being worldly and of entering the sanctuary to show off their diners, or to see the hats and cloaks of other ladies. Yet this is too often and too sadly the exact truth. The proof of it is that such people stay away from divine services when they have "nothing to wear," which means when their garments are jut a little out of style; or when they cannot hope to see a fine array of new hats and flowers.-- Ex.

 

We were urged to publish the above, when reading an item in the Bulletin, that a feast would be given at the Parlors of the Union Church by ladies to morrow afternoon. It will not surprise us to see, in addition to the lunch, to have the hula given as an attraction.

 

ON DIT.

 

That the Handsome and Honorable Pugilist from Waialua is cropping up again, and like a rank weed its influence is being felt.

 

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That there is a Jesuit loose in the community. Look out for him Charlie.

 

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That a batch of opium will arrive by the Kinau, which will be consigned to a certain party staying at the hotel.

 

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That Wm. Place is desirous of vacating his office as thief catcher at Kahului, as everybody is against him, more particularly those of the Wailuku district. That he was send on a wild goose chase after a box containing sand said to have been opium; and that the boy's jokes and the ridicule has made him home-sick. We sympathise with Willian the Fiddler, and blame Scotty.

 

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That it is extremely amusing to see the "P.C. Advertiser" acting as though inspired with the spirit of the Ka Leo in an article headed "Justitia Ruat Coelum," saying that the more guilty should share with the least guilty in the deserved sentences. [Hear! Hear!] We are glad to see the unrighteous mending their was, and we have every hope to see the "Advertiser" continue and improve in tone and in its advocacy against wrong, though perhaps it may hit its own patrons.

 

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That on the contrary the evening luminary is silent and seems buried in grief, probably on account of pussy's sympathies and affiliations.

 

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That over two hundred people attended a meeting at Trousseau's Ostrich Farm at Waikiki; while a handful only attended church. This is discouraging after 70 years of evangelizing the heathen.

 

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That Jamsey is looking fine as he drives behind the royal spans-- first the greasy then the blacks-- with Her Majesty's coachman in front. Many a stranger took Jamsey to be the Prince Consort from his distingue and dignified manner-- and for his size Jamsey is rather distinguished looking-- but on their enquiry they learned to their disgust that the gentleman was simply Her Majesty's chief of the flunkeys, who had evidently imagined himself the Prince Consort. Dolce coos a vedette, a dolce ingamni.

 

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That it is characteristic for the acknowledged leader of the National Party, Mr. Widemann, and for Mr. Berger, to show their appreciation of the efforts of the National Party in their favor, by keeping such men as Henry Treadway in office to suit such men as Messrs. Baldwin, Iao and Waikapu, all of whom worked to defeat the National Party nominees, and Mr. Berger in particular, on Maui. The more you kick a dog the better he will like you, is an old saying and has been verified more than once in Bowowee.

 

A ROMANCE

(Contined.)

 

At last Judge Porter came in and created a much needed diversion.

 

"My dear," he said. "you must not forget to give our guests some refreshments."

 

"The welfare of the soul is more important than that of the body. It makes my heart heavy to see a young man of so much promise reject the Saviour," said the lady.

 

"I beg that you will not look at it in that light," protested Nyama, "when I was at college I studied carefully the several systems of philosophy and religion, and assure you that I esteem your's above all others. If I were going to choose a cult for my people, it would be christianity."

 

"A religion is doubtless very beneficial to the lower orders; but I think men with intellegence and a sense of honor can live well and honestly without any supernatural machinery." So the pool fool wrecked his own fortunes.

 

"Please come into the dining room and have some tea," said Mrs. Porter after a short silence. She led the way into a splendid dining room where a table was spread with snowy linen and set with sparkling silver.

 

There were only two plates laid, but their hostess seated herself at the head of the table with her guests on either hand and poured out their tea. A Chinaman appeared and set before them several plates containing cold meats and other edibles. Every thing was wonderfully delicate and attractive.

 

Faza could hardly repress an exclamation of delight at the exquisite design of the plate before her-- a wealth of lovely rose-buds, glowing with nature's tints.

 

After they had partaken of the more substantial food, they were served with pyramids of pink ice cream, and after that Mrs. Porter insisted on their sating fruit, raisins and nuts.

 

"Well," said the judge when they had returned to the drawing room, "how do you like our foreign manner of living?"

 

Nyama said something as the occasion demanded but the judge did not pause for a reply.

 

"My dear," he continued to his wife, "this little woman is just what you want for a parlor made. The Japanese are the neatest, most reliable servants you can get."

 

"We must give the man work in the garden, but he don't know anything about horses, I am afraid," said Mrs. Porter.

 

"I don't think we need the man but the woman would be useful. You were saying last week that we must have another servant."

 

"Oh she does not look as if she was used to work, and she doesn't understand a word of English," replied his wife.

 

"She would soon learn that, I can see that she is very bright. It would be so much nicer to have a pretty give like her to wait on the table than that yellow heathen Chinese," continued the judge.

 

"You think that china faced (?) thing is (?) pretty!" exclaimed his wife.

 

They both looked at Faza who though she did not understand, blushed very much at the attention.

 

"O!" said His Honor seeing that he was making a blunder, "she isn't handsome like you my dear; but I thought she was what the ladies call 'kinder cute,' if you kept her you could teach her to be a christian and help the good cause.

 

"I would not have the horrid thing about the house," said the lady sharply and with a snap.

 

"Excuse me," said Nyama, "but I have no intention of allowing my wife to work or to be separated from me."

 

"And what are your plans," asked the judge.

 

"I hope to secure a position as assistant supervisor of Immigrants, or some clerical work," was the reply.

 

The judge assumed a severe judicial air, "what are your qualifications for that work?"

 

"I have have received what is considered a good education in America, and my family-----"

 

"Never mind about your family, we are republicans here, and every man must stand on his own merit. Have you had any experience in this country and do you understand plantation work?"

 

"You know I have just landed in this country," said the young man.

 

"I thought so, well that is very important. By the way, how did you happen to come to this country? You didn't come as a voluntary immigrant? That is under a government contract?"

 

"Well I don't know, we came with the excursion. We paid no fare, but we have not entered into any contract."

 

"Very strange," said judge Porter. But if you accepted the passage, you agreed to the contract. I don't see hoe you can avoid it, and so rob the government. You will be held to the terms of the contract you voluntarily made and which you have benefited."

 

"I had not thought of cheating the government, I suppose that it was the object to secure immigrants," said Nyama.

 

"I am so pleased to meet any one from Japan," resumed Mrs. Porter, "I hope we shall see you again, and I do hope you will decide to serve Christ and help in the good work."

 

Nyama preceived that it was an opertune time to go, and so with several bows and compliments they left the house.

 

When he had heard the front gate shut his honor arose and waddled majestically into the adjoining library.

 

He went to the telephone and hooking his little finger over the leaver spoke: "Connect 3811 7213," then after a little, "Is this the marshal?" Well say, one of those Japs is running around town. Yes one of the last lot, ought to be on Sand Island. He's a kind of high toned fellow, I think a policeman would find him at the Cosmopolitan. -- All right-- How's that? Twelve Japs died in the Herow Jail? How was that? All in once cell? -- Died for want of breath, I suppose ha! haw!-- Well he is the best sheriff we had on that island. -- Goodbye--."

 

The judge sat down in a great high backed leather-covered armchair, and look up a volume from the table.

 

When out friends left the judge's resident they walked some distance in silence. Nyama was puzzled and not much pleased with the events of their call. Faza who had not understood a word was as bright and playful as usual.

 

"I wonder we can ever earn a fine big house like that," se said.

 

"Now, my dear, I will give you a lesson in political economy," he replied, "if any man worked every day for a hundred years he could not earn the money to buy a place like that, he could not produce one tenth part of the value. Now you must say, well, somebody prices it; every thing about it is produced by men's labor. Then I reply, one man enjoys (?) the work of ten, twenty or a hundred others You see this long avenue of fine houses, beautiful grounds, costly furniture, idleness, elegance, vanities. Well for all this there are thousands toiling day and night, in mud and snow, in mines and garrets -- sick, weak, weary, starving, disbarring, dying. These rich people are enjoying gaily the earnings of the workers."

 

(To be Continued).