The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-02-22


which the Homestead Act offers are
actually to be realized. The .ques
ton whether the Legislature should |
not assume control of the Crown |
lands has already been agitated.
There is perhaps some doubt as to
whether that branch of the Govern
ment possesses the requisite auth
ority. But that the step will even
tually prove necessary to the proper
development of the country, seems
sufficiently clear.
These islands are already begin
ming to suffer from the effects
of land monopoly. The nature Of
our principle industry is of itself
very favorable to the growth of
monopolles. Sugar is slow grow
ing crop, it requires a large and
costly plant, and hence very extern
sive capital for its successful pro
duction. The cultivation of it on
small scale has hitherto generally
proved failure. The result is that
the industry only fourishes under
monopoly conditions and tends con-
tinually to concentrate in the hands
of the few. Under such circum-
stances it is clear that the country
has very strong interest in check
ing the growth of monopoly when
ever it is possible to do So It has a
strong motive for creating conditions
favorable to the small owner. The
great plantations naturally bring
about a land monopoly. The fact
that the Crown lands are inalienable
tends to aggravate these conditions,
because it results in vast tracts Of
land being locked up on long leases
for an indefinite term of years.
The land should be owned by the
men who cultivate it. That is fact
Of prime Importance, and modern
experience has put it beyond the pos
sibility of question. It is therefore
the duty of every government to en-
courage the acquisition of land in
small quantities. By wise and lib
eral policy the government can and
ought to foster and encourage the
subdivision of the land into small
holdings.
In France the peasant is the pro
prietor of the soil. In England by
far tie greater part of the land is
held by a few thousand persons,
members of the upper class or of the
aristocracy. The peasant pro-
prietor of France is happy,
prosperous, contented, intelligent
and well bred, far above his neighbor
across the channel This has one
chief cause-Peasant Proprietorship.
English observers confirm this view
of the facts The owner of land has
more zeal, more industry, more pru-
dence and foresight, more encour-
agement and more motive to do
something and be something, than
the mere worker for daily wage
Ownership makes a man of him.
We want such a class of owners
here. We want them in large mum
bers, and it is our chief want. Under
some conditions they come of them
selves, but much has been done in
other countries to create them, anG
much may be done here. They die
not come in France of themselves, as
any one who ever heard of the
French Revolution knows. The law.
of France are favorable to their ex
istence, and particularly the laws O.
Inheritance.
The author of the platform of thu
National Reform party, put his lips
to the Public Improvement trumpe
and blew a mighty blast on it. 1
the party which processes to stane
on that platform comes into powe
we shall have the right to expect, a
we'll as hope, that it will do some
thing worthily answering to tina
loud campaign note. The Reform
has record of much and valuable
achievement. If we may Judge it
future by its past, it will continue t.
be the Party of Progress, and vii
enter on the path of further REFORM