The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-29
LAND WAN TED.

| These are the words of an intelIi-
gent enterprising, well educated young
white man, born here, a missionary, 50
and anxious to get upon the soil:
4 know something about agricul-
ture, but I need more land for raising
small crops. / cannot get it on this
Island, at any moderate price. and in
deed not less than an exhOrbitant
price. The land subject 10 natural irri-
cation is all taken up. Only large
tracts remain. which are only valuable
through expensive irrigation works,
which small farmers cannot afford to
set up. The sugar plantations are rap
idly taking up these lands, and men
like myself cannot get them, excepting
under leases, and on condition that we
ell raise cane. What shall we do? I
have given up and taken a clerkship."
The situation then on this Island is
this, there is little or no land, suitably
irrigated to be obtained by men of
moderate means. The Portuguese have
steadily made this complaint for sew
eraI years. The only land remaining
is in large tracts, which require ex-
Densive irrigation works.
These tracts are rapidly passing in
to the hands of capitalists and sugar
planters. A large and the best part
Of the northern part Of this Island is
now in the hands of the planters.
What is to be done about it? 1t is
believed by some that American labor
may be employed on several Of the
plantations. and such privileges grant
ed them, in the way of houses. and
garden lands, and wages that they will
be contented and become good citi-
zens.
What wages will content them, what
surroundings will be sufficient. is an
open question. If American laborers
with families do immigrate and cult
vate the cane lands, they must be paid
living wages What are living wages ?
There is still a more important mat
ter, the question of homes, that is,
holdings in fee simple, so dear to the
and indeed to every in
telligent mans heart.
Aside from these serious questions, it
is an equally serious question, the
practical exclusion from the soil Of this
Island of many excellent men, like the
person whose words are quoted, by rea-
son of the absorption of the land by the |
1t excludes small farmers |
of all races, and makes the back bone |
of the community q hired class, held |
more or less strongly by plantation
rules, and dependent upon the good |
Will of plantation managers for perma-
lent occupation. For the plantations
will retain control of their own soil.
If the young man, whose words we
cite, a kamaaina, cannot find a loca-
ion, how can an immigrant find one
Unless he has large capital?
These facts bear strongly on the
question already asked by some very
Intelligent and friendly visitors. Are
We not at the parting of the ways, the
ne leading to a final Asiatic cast to So
iaI life here, the other to the final So
ial dominance of the Americans?
some do believe that we are far be
'ond the parting of the ways, and have
ilready cast the future OF our local
utilization.
1t is a very serious matter when
here is an urgent demand at present
or more than 5000 Asiatic laborers,
It the very time we are urging our
elbow citizens of the Mainland to stay
way, and even the kamaainas are
rOwded out.