The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-10-06
VINO WILL WCUPY?

On the southern slopes of Haleakala
there Is now to be seen. not an ex-
pertinent. but demonstration OF the
course OF racial events on these ISL
ands. A vast tract OF land lies on this
slope, rising with gentle grades from
the plains of the isthmus occupied by
the Hawaiian Commercial Company,
up to and above the frost line. The
soil Is rich. Fruits and vegetables
grow with luxuriance. Corn makes
excellent crops. With a good road,
the owner Of only ten acres OF such
land may sleep every night within
the cold belt, and descend every morn
ing to the warmer belt below. This
region is ideal tor the most satisfactory
growth of Anglo-Saxon civilization in
the tropics, because, II he wills 1t, the
settler may md only half an hours
ride between the tropics and the tenn
perate zones.
What Is the situation? What Is the
outlook there? The Portuguese have
settled on this tract and are doing well.
Many. 1t Is said Ave hundred, Japanese
have taken land in Kula and Maka-
wac. and are making excellent profits
out OF their agricultural work. Out
OF some hundreds Of settlers are there
any Americans? No. Yet the profits OF
.urt,,,lt, ,ro tn that oactiop today wnuld
open the eyes Of the small farmers Of
America. 1t cannot be said, however,
that these profits are any larger than
they are under similar conditions in
many parts of the United States.
These industrious Portuguese and Jap
anese farmers are as prosperous on the
whole, as the white mechanics In Ho-
nolulu. They live well and send con-
siderable sums Of money out OF the
country.
While there Is much waving Of the
Flag over the Islands with the patrio-
tic shout that the Islands must be
Americanized. day by day, step by
step, the men of other nationalities are
becoming the bone and the sinew Of
the people,, One looking upon these
prosperous people pre-Occupying the
land, must regard the case of American
settlement In this region as almost
hopeless. The settlers now on the
ground understand the soil and the
methods of agriculture better than
strangers, and whenever any land 10
to be obtained, they can and will bid
higher prices for 1t than the Ameri-
can settler who Is astounded at the
enormous values of land in these ISL
ands, and Is unable. from his own eX-
perience to determine its value. The
first occupants OF the soil will hold 1t,
unless they are supplanted by men Of
superior thrift and capacity. 1t is
simply idle to say that the American
farmer can or will supplant the Por-
tuguese or the Orientals.
In California the Latins and the
Chinese have already taken away from
the Americans the cultivation Of mar
ket gardens. Over three hundred Chi
nese supply Los Angeles with vegeta-
bles. and not an American In sight.
Idle and starving Americans walk
the streets OF that city. according to
the statements Of California papers,
and refuse 10 compete with the Chinese
In market gardening. although the
Chinese laborer even lives M well, II
not better, than the American laborer,
and the Chinese employers become rich,
The idle Americans, according TO the
Tlmes-union, stand on the street cor
ners, wave the fias, but refuse TO "un-
Amerioanize" themselves by raising
pigs and potatoes aLd eabbases and
onions,
WHISTLER another class OF our eoun'
trymen ara willing 10 measure them
selves agains, tbs races who are pre-
oeeupyin the soil ~ thsse Islands re-
mains 20 bs seen, Tho Advertiser be-
lleses that they can ID so, but ever,
hours delay IN providing Tor such i'm
misraiion Is ~ additional handicap ~
,hs success ~ su'h w sn,srprlss