The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-05-20
ADVANCE METHOD
Correspondent Advocates Some In
dIStTial Reforms.
THE BUREAU OF AGRICULTURE
Would Make That Branch Para
mount-Precedence in Other
Countries.
THE BUREAU OF AGRICULTURE
Communicated

(COmmunica teu.}
This most important, but much neg
Iected bureau should be the lea ling
department Of our Government. Even
our paramount Board of Health should
be subordinate in the world; the Scan
dinavians, the Americans and follow
ing them the British, have their Blu
reau of Agriculture the leading de-
partment.
When We explain, it is to be hoped
that the Press will assist us in advo-
eating this much needed reform.
When the Board of Health desires
a location for hospital, pest-house,
wash-house, or for any sanitary meas
ure; or the Board of Education a site
for school-houses, the Agricultural Blu
reau should be consulted. In the Unit
ed States even the food inspection is
under the control of this bureau.
We cannot shut our eyes to the fact
that it has become absolutely neces-
sary TO our progress to have clear
headed, earnest, practical and pro-
gressiye men at the head of our Agri-
cultural and Water Bureaus, as well
as all the other Experimentation who
can expand and use scientific methods,
whose work should be purely educa-
tional and removed from political con-
sideration. The crude systems and
waste of money that have prevailed
the past % years, under the writer's
observation, should not be allowed to
continue.
AS water establishes the value of
land, irrigation and its scientific dis
tribution should be the leading prob
lem of our Government.
Large tracts of land on this Island,
now valueless, without water for gen
eral agricultural purposes, could be
made productive and valuable by irri-
CATION. The time cannot be far re-
mote, in this age of irrigation when
it will be found that the exhaustless
supplies of water in Manoa and other
valleys are available. When you enter
Manoa valley, and see the water wind
ing its way to the sea just as it did
in Kamehameha First's time no doubt
and on the left side being pumped in
from the Beretania street pumping
station. or led from the Nuuanu re-
servOirs, as far as Montana's milk
ranch, you can truly say Here is a
lavish waste of Natures gift" Had
the Legislature committee, who re-
ported adversely on the Manoa water
storage. consulted the writer, there is
no doubt but that they would have
made a favorable report, and an adj
verse one to the contemplated reser-
vOir in the bottomless Diamond Head.
1t is an undoubted fact that it has
been the aim of the present Govern
ment for the past few years, to offer
every possible facility towards placing
men on vacant lands of all the Islands,
and advertising our land system, I'M
der which land may be taken up-and
has stimulated a spirit of thrift in
those who were otherwise almost de-
pendent. But our greatest need as it
seems, is first of all proper experiment.
al work-Stations on each Island with
a skilled chemist at the head. Every
station of this kind would be an OBJ
ject lesson to all, coffee planters in
particular, where scientific methods Of
modern industries could be taught.
When an industry is prosperous, in
dividualism is natural enough, but
when trials arise, the utility of asso-
citation is at once felt. To effect good
on a large scale men must combine
their efforts. Cooperation is a joint
stock individualism. In the writer's
country, Sweden, they have a system
of cooperative agricultural credit as
ISOLATION, to prevent the the small land
owners from falling into the hands of
the money-lender. This association
advances money only for the purpose
OF agricultural benefits and sees that
the money is expended for the pur-
poses for which the advances are
made. This society has an expert
enced scientist to visit the small land
owners, once a month or so, to teach
them new methods in agriculture. All
sorts Of labOr-saving implements, bet
ter breeds Of cattle, ETC., are bought
through this association.
That coffee, like sugar. will be a
success in Hawaii, there is no doubt.
There may be failures in the coffee
industry, as there have been in sugar.
1t is difficult matter to make a success
full farmer out of an otherwise clear
headed business or professional man.
who is unaccustomed to the hardship
Of a country life and its struggle. We
have had example of that in the pro-
jectors and investors in several sugar
plantations, passed into the hands of
agents and money-lenders for the
book account and small amounts of
cash.
Through sheer force of character and
unceasing perseverance a few of our
original sugar planters are now living
in comparative independence, while
others through inexperienee or want of
thrift have failed.