The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-08-06
KANSAS FAMILIES
Clergyman Has Scheme
for Colonization.
Some Good People Who Need AS
sistance--Chance for Coffee
Planters and Others.

The following communication was
sent on Tuesday to a man interested in |
the labor problem in Hawaii. Enclosed |
was letter from pastor of church |
in Kansas City, which was referred 10
as follows:
Il enclose a note, received by the |
Doric, which explains itself. have re-
piled to it and sent Thrum's Annual
Will you read the letter and then hand
it TO some one who believes in Ameri-
can settlers, or who has land to open
up and is able to reply to the writer
If any one is in earnest about the mat
ter and really desires American farm
ers, here is a chance to prove it.
Honolulu, H /, August 8, 1897"
Following is the letter:
Kansas City, Kan, July 10, 1897.
REV. Douglas P. Birnie, Pastor Cen
trail Union Church, Honolulu, Ha-
waiian Islands:
my Dear Sir:-There are more than
100 families who desire to move to the
Islands, but they wish some assistance
| by way of transportation. These per-
sons are all farmers and will average
! five persons to the family. What in
! ducements will the citizens there offer
them? There is no doubt of the an
neXation of the Islands to this country
in the near future, and good class of
this country can be induced to go to
the Islands. I will give you an idea
of the committees plans. first. is to
learn if some assistance will be given
or to see whether or not the people of
the Islands are willing to raise fund
for this purpose; and, if so, the COM
mittee will send a representative over
to take view of land, look out a suit
able location for the colony, and take
collections for the transportation of the
colonists. Please give any and all in
formation that you think will be help
full to us in the formation of a colony
for Americans in the Islands With
some assistance for the first lot of col
onists, I can easily take from this
country 5000 Americans within IS
months You will confer quite a favor
on us to let me hear from you very
soon. If fund of S. or $40 per head
could be raised in Honolulu towards
the transportation of the colonists, the
plan TO colonize the Islands by Ameri-
cans would work charmingly. Is Eng
fish largely spoken there? Are the
services in the principal churches of
| I rif in hn Ion
guage? Please tell me all you think
would like to know about the Islands"
In referring to the above letter, the
man who handed it in for publication,
spoke as follows:
''The scheme suggested is a good one,
and just in line with what great many
of us have been hoping to see for a
long time past. The people who want
to come here are honest, Woodworking
men. In America they can manage to
get along in some way, but coming out
here to the Islands is another PROPOSE
ton. 1t goes without question, in my
mind, that we want just such people,
but how are we to get them here?
They have no money and nothing
before them to come for. Should they
, start out on their own hook they
. would become stranded here in a little
while. What is needed here is a COM
pany-a trust-composed of a number
of the intelligent, thinking business
men of the Islands, who will look about
on the Islands for the places where
farming of various kinds may be car
ried on and to make arrangements by
which these lands can be obtained for
cultivation. This done and the lands
procured the intending laborers should
be conferred with and given something
to start on-some help by which they
can gain a footing. The land cultivat-
ed. they could pay back what had been
given them.
81 speak of this as mere sugges-
ton. in order to bring the matter be-
fore the public, and TO set intelligent
people thinking about it. If a good
class of white labor is wanted, help
must be extended