The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-09-16
ne Hawaii Railway.

/ Ak. GLkkNN~ " AAsAN A~-~tN - -
support of this road may meSSOr'
ably apply to any productive pub'
lie improvement upon these Isl
ands, but il is intended 10 apply
particularly to that fruitful region
Of the island Of HAWAII whose
natural outlet 10 the world 5
market Is Hilo Bay, The prOdue-
tive land of this diStrict-Hama-
kua, Hilo and Puma leaving out
mountains, g1lcheS and unprodue-
tive lava iows-eQualS in extent
the islands of Oahu and Maui CON-
bined, which renders this the most
important body of agricultural
land in the Kingdom Yet 10 be de-
veloped. In advancing 70 the dis
cusslon of this question l must re-
mind my readers of 4 few facts.
There has been sent 10 the Legs
lature important petitions asking
them to favorably consider this i'm
provement by granting it some
Government and. Perhaps the num-
Der of the petitioners are not so
important as the quality.
Any one acquainted with the
petitioners must admit that many
of them rank among our most
worthy citizens. Their business
experience, ripe judgment and hon
orable standing, would naturally
prevent them from signing petit
ton to the honorable Legislature
asking for any unwise or impracti-
cable things.
Another fact; the two districts
asking for this road pays about
one sixth of all the internal taxes
of the Kingdom and eight-tenths
OF their fruitful area yet undevel-
oped.
Another fact; Hawaii produces
over one-half-70,OO0 tons-of all
the sugar produced in the King
dom, and contains twice the amount
of land of all the other islands CON-
bined. These and other facts
would seem to justify the Govern
ment in granting an encourage
ment to this road as an opening
wedge to developing this whole
fruitful region. That would be
public improvement. see no way
of making our country noted IN
the world, or making it mere pro-
ductive than it now is, only by i'm
proving it, and l see no way to
settle, cultivate and improve this
particular district only by rail
roads.
Railroads not only stimulate
business and increase values, but |
they are an advance type of civil
ization; shall we not civilize ?
The property values of the King
dom have increased the past sixteen
years by improvement and produc-
ton over 200 per cent. Shall we
not go ahead and increase the tax
able values still more, or shall we
now stop advancing? Do we be-
lieve that business can be kept
alive, and values created, without
the people and the Government ex-
erting themselves? This would be
a blessed country if it could, verl-
table Garden of Eden.
But unfortunately, or fortunate
ly, such is not the case. We have
to get our bread by the sweat of
the brow" and wealth is only null
tiplied by labor directed to i'm
protement and production. The
assistance asked for this road, if
granted, would be an opening wedge ;
to the settlement of this, the largest
body of agricultural land existing
n this Kingdom. There are four
parties pecuniarily interested in
having this road built, and Justice
would say, IL possible all should
lssist in its building" but these
luties come slowly to mems minds. !
The first to stir the enterprise and !
how up its advantages are the pro- /.
ectors of the road, the leaders in .
he enterprise, who propose to build >
nd run the road if they can CON-
nand the means and get the proper
Encouragement. Another interest
d party are the owners of the land
nd other property that would be :
enefted by the road through the Il
n HANGED values of Incorporates. t
mother interested party are those t
Tho get their business done more Il
xpeditiously and at cheaper rates ?
han before the road is built. The Z
'urth party, and really the one !
lost interested Of all, is the Gov :
The Government. as well Z
S others, are interested In quick =
-ork and cheap freights, and being 4
ne owner also of some of the prop +,
rty near the road, will be benefited Il
7 its enhanced value. Besides. it
its duty to provide for its people
opening the lands to settlement.
be greatest advantage, however,
ust come To tho Govarnroar<