The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-08
their own price for fish. The COM
missioners will recommend the con-

their own price for fish. The COM
miSsiOners will recommend the con-
demnation of the fishing grounds by
the government, in order that the price
of this food product may be brought
lower and the common people be gwen
a further chance for a livelihood. The
remarkable grant made to the konihikis
has been tested in the courts OF Hawaii
and held to be a vested right.
Corn is not grown in the islands, and
nearly all the cattle are imported. The
largest steers grown there do not weigh
over 600 pounds. The TACT that cattle
do not develop is said to be due to the
character of the pasturage, which in a
Bermuda grass, sour, aud containing no
nutrition. The meat supply OF the
Hawaiian islands is Ill the hands of a
trust-the Metropolitan Meat company
of Honolulu. No cabbage is grown OH
the islands.
Commercial travellers, on handling in
Hawaii, are required To pay IA tax of
$500 for the privilege OF selling goods
for one year. On the steamer which
carried the commissioners to Honolulu
were representatives of two Illinois
IL uAo-OiiO III GuO uly ROOuo lluO ouu GuC
other, a man named johnson. repre-
senting a wagon and farm implement
firm. MIR. JOhnsOn's misfOrtunes con-
stituted one of the pathetic features of
the trip. With characteristic American
enterprise he started ont To drum up
trade as soon as he landed. without first
investigating the matter of license. He
was arrested and had an experience
which sadly dampened his commercial
ardOr.
The Japanese continue pouring into
the islands in great numbers. The
Chinese are restricted under our i'm
migration laws, but the steamer Gaelic,
which brought the commissioners back
to San Francisco. carried 735 Japanese
from Japan to Honolulu, these being
only the first installment of 1900 whom
the Oriental and Occidental Steamship
line had contracted to transport.
The lands of the Hawaiian islands
are generally leased for long terms, the
average being thirty years. Some of
these leases have proved very profit
able. Rice and sugar lands command
the highest rental and coffee lands the
lowest. The coffee lands are often al
most inaccessible, owing to the growth
of jungle. Thrifty Americans and other
lOlclSuOIS WuO udto UCcu lOTJuUduc
enough to get long leases from the
government on valuable lands for few
cents an acre have made immense
fortunes. Lands, which were decided
to missionary families ostensibly for
church. school and mission purposes,
went first into the hands of trustees,
but we're subsequently diverted to
private ownership and have formed the
basis of many a private fortune.
The visitors were impressed most,
perhaps, by the Incidence but harmless
ness and generosity of the natives.
They seemed peaceable and affection
ate in their disposition, with no war
like tendencies. They do not work. to
any extent, especially where they are
able to command even a bare living
from the rental of their lands. Wher.
ever the American visitors went they
were shown the greatest hospitality.
the natives lavishing all sorts of pres
ents upon them. Only one member of
the commission as far as can be learned
comes back with the idea that the
islands offer anv promise of develop
ment-that is Senator Morgan. He
looks forward TO a great future for
Hawaii. His colleagues generally were
impressed with the idea that there was
nothing in the islands to induce any
American to go there. whether he went
as a capitalist, a professional man or as
a laborer.