The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-07-14


soil. Chief among the obstacles to
this consummation so devoutly
wished stand the vested proprietary
rights of few large holders of the
best lands. In any movement to |
overcome that and other obstacles |
haste should be made slowly. A
too radical policy at the outset might |
have the effect of defeating its own
object. The two divisions of our
land question-land for the people,
and people for the land, must be
kept in simultaneous view. Any
suppression of vested rights by le-
whether in the form of
arbitrary appropriation of territory,
OF extreme application Of the prin-
ciplc of making the land pay the
taxes-which would throw upon the
hands of the Government vast areas,
while as yet no definite scheme had
been devised for having them settled,
could only have the effect of pro-
ducing collapse in the whole move
ment and setting it back for decades.
The first duty of the Government
we hold to be the settlement of such
lands as are now available. Once
such an accomplishment is fairly
under way the whole nation would
be in q position to more fully appre-
ciate the Importance of the enlight-
ened policy, and so be prepared to
carry it forward upon more extended
lines. Let the Homestead Act of
last session be faithfully admins
tered, and long step would be
made in advance. 1t is to be re-
gretted that discredit should at this
late day be attempted to be cast
upon that measure by an apologist
of the Government. The other day
the advertiser expressed the OPT
Mon that the Act would require ma
terial remodelling before it could be
efficient. While admitting that some
amendment might be improvement,
VIC have no hesitation in dissenting
from any statement that the Act is
| so deficient as to be incapable of
operation. At all events, it has
taken the Government long time
to have discovered the deficiency !;
that is, unless they have neglected
the measure till this moment while
causing representations to be pub
lishcd that everything was being
done to have the law given effect.
1t is, moreover, a sorry tribute to
the craftsmanship of the Ministry,
to represent that only an abortion
has been made of such measure,
deliberately passed by the Assembly
under full Ministerial supervision.
In conclusion, an idea, that seems
to be eminently wise, has been pre-
sented to us by gentleman whose
name would give weight to any busi-
ness proposition. While it may be
long time before the country is
ready for having the idea in ques-
ton put into effect still it is i'm
portant that everything that can pos
sibly contribute to the Inauguration
of the proposed land policy should
be presented to the public. The
king is one of the largest land
holders in his dominions, and it is
suggested that such portions of his
landed possessions as are denomina.
ted crown lands should be sold, His
Majesty's consent being gained, and
proceeds be invested in inalienable
Government bonds, the interest Of
which should go to the crown in lieu
of the returns that might otherwise
accrue thereto from the lands.
Could this be effected, it would to q
large extent solve the problem of
how to obtain land for settlement
In the meantime, let such lands as
the state now possesses be settled
be it ample for no more than fifty
homesteads. Even so many indie,
pendent farmers thriving in oul
sight would be Il demonstration O1
the adaptabillty of our soil to tho
sustenance of peasant population
which would be infinitely more con
vincing than reams of argument ant
volumes of rhetoric.
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