The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-01-11

NAAs Dusi anu ehc ipihcstcou <ACts
Mr.. EDITOR: I notice in that delect-
able sheet, Ka Leo Ka Lahui, an arti-
Gle headed GA Confession" the same
being venomous sneer against the
Government in it's relation to the Home
stead Act. The manufacturer is to be
congratulated on having produced
combination of cheek, mendacity and
ignorance that is truly unique. A con-
fession it may well be called, but the
confession would have been more COM
plete and earned mere favor in the sight
of Heaven had it proceeded a bit further
in it's references to the connection of the
Bush administration with land matters.
That ''fools rush in where angels fear to
tread" is tolerably we'll known, but that
land matters should be favorite topic
in the Leo Ka Lahui no one would
have dreamed.
The article referred to claims for Mr..
Bush and his administration the credit
of "that small boon for the workingmen"
the Homestead Act. This is tolerably
rich, considering that the bill was
brought in and urged by the then oppo-
sition, and that previous to that time the
Government had shown about as much
desire to assist the poor man to get land
as cat to take an ice-water bath.
When Mr.. Bush can obtain credit for the
Eiffel tower and Brooklyn bridge he will
get it for the Homestead Act, but not
before.
AS sample of the ignorance that per-
fho Io
the statement "that it is of little value to
all but the wealthy who can bid high for
town lots at auction, we have ample
recent evidence" What the pretended
godfather OF the Homestead Act ought to
know more about bis child than that.
He ought to get copy of the law even
at this late day and read it. He might
ask his printers devil, his paper carrier,
or even the man that greases the wheels
of his printing machine, to tell him that
homestead lots are never sold at auction:
that under the law they cannot be thus
sold, but constitute a separate class of
lands sold at appraised values to appli
cants in order, and by strictly legal
methods. Mark the legal.) But, con-
tinues this precious article, "What re-
ward their strenuous efforts have met
with we are not informed" Another
trifing mistake. AS earl V as March,
1888, only eight months after the advent
OF the Reform Government, d first report
was given to the Legislature. and since
that time the frequent advertisements OF
homestead lands, the steady applications
for them, and their actual settlement and
improvement, could SO easily have been
known that it speaks i'll for the tender
sOllcitude Of this poor mans friend that
he wasn't Uniformed" He is probably
equally uninformed in regard to the ac-
ton OF the Government in the matter of
unassigned lands, or indeed on any other
point that has had equal publicity.
But just at this point, as If in cruel
mockery of the pious professions OF this
Confession" and as a refutation to the
charges against the Government in the
Homestead matter, arises the recollec-
ton of little matter that Mr.. Bush will
remember. Waiakoa, kula, Maui-a
Government land that would have suited
we'll the needs of the poor men he was
always thinking about. Pulehuiki and
kamehame-iki-two more lands equally
desirable. OF course be, as Minister of
Interior, did all he could to secure
'small boons" to poor settlers, etc. Not
exactly! No wicked auction business,
such as he condemns in the Govern
ment, with him. He was one of these
"men with more liberal views" and SO
he proceeded to lease the whole of these
lands, in violation of law and without
notice to a party high in position, and
for so miserably inadequate sum that
seven times the amount could easily have
been obtained. And to-day anybody can
read the old lease, with his signature at
tached, advertising his tender regard for