The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-18
THE PUBLIC LANDS
w. R. Castle Answers
A Critic.
Full Text of a Letter OF ms
bearing In the Spring
field Republican.
Nation Springfield Republican:

Editor Springfield Republican:
IF 7 am not mistaken, your paper
claims 10 be honorable and falr. Il
this is true. you will publish this note
as prominently as your editorial ofI
October last entitled Inose NONE
narriots OF Hawaii. Without COM
mant ON your ascription of base ana
marcenarv motives TO those here VINO
favored annexation, except 10 oo'ei'e
that of course we cannot nope 10 se1
70 vour high and noble plane but mus
remain low and sordid, Wouid lihe
TO state a few facts.
The Joint resolution OF anleAatioI
when was approved by the preslaeent
July Z, 1898, and when TOOK eso
here August II, 1893, Wnen iIs ~ n
wara accepted, contains the folloWlhs.
..The existing laws Of the United States
raIatiya To public lands shall not Apply
| 70 such lands in the Hawaiian lsIahus'
hut the Congress of the United States
sbau enact special laws for their man
q opment and disposition: Ffos.oou,
that all revenue from or proceeus VI
the same shall be USED solely loi
the benefit of the inhabitants OF lns
Hawaiian islands for educational anu
other public purposes. Also: 1ne
municipal legislation of the HaWallall
| islands not inconsistent with 1Ills
| Joint resolution, or contrary 10 INC
constitution Of the united 0edte9'.
! shall remain until the congress VI el@
United States shall otherwise deter
| mine. ~
When Hawaii was annexed a COM
nIete and comprehensive system OF
laws relative to public la1ds was IN
existence. Nothing therein Is contrary
TO .e constitution or the joint resolu.
tion These laws are the results OF
wears of experience and trial. Iney
are intended to place the public lands
within the reach of all and prevent
the accumulation of large blocks IN IN
dividual hands, and not to allow any
speculative holdings. Ihey We're
framed in the hope that Americans
might be induced TO 1mmlgrale anu
settle. For those objects, tney ilaVS
lbeen SUI cessfully administered. lhele
has been no favorltlsm, no SAFES, u
leases 10 friends of the Dole govern
mem. or other application of the laws,
exceDt as they themselves provide.
large quantity Of land has Deen
taken up and improved by actual set
tiers. Many are now in Occupation
and have made improvements since
/ August -. 1898 under the continued
execution Of these laws.
The commission appointed by the
president under the joint resolution
recognized that for our conditions, the
land laws of Hawaii are good anu
sufficient, and recommend Jhelf con-
tinuance, as you will see by feIerellce
to the bin reported by them oIo lol
| Senate committee). OF course TINS is
NOT law vet; but Immediately alter an
naxation was consummated, the Dole
government asked for instructions
from Washington. Among Otner mat
tiers. it was considered most Important
that orders should be given regarolIs
the land laws, whether they should oe
suspended or otherwise. The nstruc-
lions came. and they were to commune
to carry out and execute the land laws
as we'll as others.
Mr. Dole has not announced IN any
manner, or at any time, anaC Nlie
Washington government dld not kho"
IFS business. This statement has been
ma1iciouslv invented and circulated by
enemies of the government mere, Dy
mon who want office and want 1t rlgn'
away. who have sent agents to WASH
ineton to fill the ears of public men
there with falsehoods, and they nave
had the field all to themselves, for the
Dole government has been guilty. ~ ~
gross carelessness in my OPINION,
not keeping a representative in WASH
ington who could furnish information
regarding facts out here.
In so far as your article pretenos ~
deal with facts, you are wrong anu
nossibly may have the grace to adml'
that the Dole government was perfect
| " justified in continuing to execute
| laws which are in the public 1n ls
and the execution of which was direct,
w authorized from Washington; ano
7 will add they have been executed IN
good faith. eoo,i,o
As for your bitter personal feenH e
about the sons of missionaries, that -
Tour own concern. If you wanted
facts You might have had them LONG
100 and they would have shown yoq
that your estimate is erroneous.
'i''' w. R. CASTLE.
11ono1,1, November 8, 1898.