Polynesian., 1850-01-05
Original Correspondence.
For the Polynesian.

| For the Polynesian
Mr.. EDITOR :-O Obstacles to Hawaiian in
dustry are numerous-and many of them will
not probably be removed tillthe car gets well
under motion. As the car just. beginning to
move, or under sluggish motion, may be
obstructed, stopped even by pebble-but
when well a-going viii bound over rocks.
SO industry must be obstructed by many
difficulties at the outset but these difficult
ties will, one after another, eiss way--if d
good onward motion can be obtained to it.
As seems to me, the obstacle directly un-
der the wheel of industry-,he one which
has not only given to energy, labor and en-
terprlse dead set, but actually rolled them
backward, is the NON-OWNERSHIP OF
THE LAND by The Cultirators Of The Soil
l can hardly conceive how the cuItivators of
the soil can be made Industrious while this
obstacle remains The slave may labor
the serf may inbor-the Hawaiian may labor.
but there is a wide difference between this
sort of LABOR and that which makes an IN
dustrious man. In the one case, the force is
all propeling-driving force. In the other,
hope Is attached TO the car, and it must 90
a-head. The moving power to industry =
to any industry which deserves the name,
as it seems to me, must be a-Read as well as
a-stern. But the principal force-ai present
operating on Hawaiian farmers to produce
Industrious habits, is of the latter kind
The most-I had almost said the only
powerful motive to industry is the prospect
of procuring. improving and rendering COM
Portable home--of laying up something for
children-for old age. This motive the Ha-
waiian has never felt-because he has had
no possibility of procuring permanent home
for himself and family. His land has never
been his own--of course he might have been
ejected from it at any moment. What motive
had he to enclose his premises, to build a
trees. or to adorn his habitation with the
beauties which surround the Cottages even of
the poor who have permanent hold on their
little homestead
Destitute ofthe comforts-the convenences
the endearments--the security of home
which he could call his own, the Hawaiian
has wanted those influences which are indis-
pensabIe to the family connection. His chill
dren have usually been given away-and
the family relation has scarcely existed The
NoN-owNERsHIP of the SOIL, by those who
cultivate it, l repeat, is the main obstacle to
a great and general increase of industry
among the people. Remove this obstacle,
this deadly incubus, and other hndrances
may be expected gradually to disappear.
While it remains, what we mean by an in
dustrious, thriving population will probably
never bless these shores. The old philoso-
pher was unable to overturn the globe be-,
cause he had no terra frma outside on which
to stand. So with these natives, they have
no permanent ground on which to labor-no
sufficient inducement to n careful. perse-
vering and productive industry. lfupon the
demolition of the old heather system OF re-
Iigion. there had been like demolition of
the teudaf system of the tenure of lands,
and every man been put in possession OF
the spot he had cultivated, scan it be sup
posed that the state of industry would have
been as low as it now is On the contrary,
had there been a judicious distribution of the
lands among the ca.:ivators. is there not
, reason TO suppose that instead of the desii-
tuition, want of comforts, the squalid poverty
and wretchedness that now everywhere
abound, we should now have seen, every
where throughout the group. comfortable
habitations, fourishing plantations and other
tokens of general industry
One thing seems evident. All inquiry hor
to promote industry, while the great mass OF
the population have no permanent title to
their lands, and cannot procure them, will
be unavaiing But if each man could have
his Kuieana. if no more, as his own, We
might hope that many other difficulties at
present in the way. would vanish, as most
of them seem to be hinged on this.
For instance, one serious obstacle IN Inc
way of perseyering industry is the not look
;np a-head to the wants of the future. The
supply Of To-day seems to be the magnum
bon,.n Of the great mass. Could they by
any means, be induced to deny themselves
of their day sleep. their time spent in plea
sure. their horses. their silks and satins.
hroadcloths, and fine trimmings, and to labor
for competency for a future day; no greater
spur could be given to industry But how
can they be- induced to labor for supply
for more than the present moment, when they