The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-10-10
.yQUATTER sUvGkElsNry.'

Il determining whether Kansas
1huuld be free or slave State, short
b otter the year 1850. there was a Bit
~ conflict between the Northern and
0outAern men in Congress over the
pnlicy which Congress ought to pur-
- on the subject. Stephen A. Douglas.
afterwards Mr.. Lincoln's opponent for
the ONCE of President. was a Senator
fron Illinois, and as measure OF COM
ponise, urged that II was not for Con-
gress to determine whether Kansas
should be free or slave State. but
that It should be determined by the
settlers themselves. In this settlement
John Brown took leading part. This
ashAod Of disposing Of the matter was
called "SQuatter Sovereignty" 1t was
. lawiess way Of building up homes on
tho prsirie, for II was the law Of the
riAe. the law of might. which gave to
the 0aa who staked of piece Of gov
ernAent land the right to hold 1t with
out any regard to the rights of his fell
Low c0untrymen.
Senator Douglas would have been
surprised. IL he had been told that
about fifty years later, a band Of or
thodox squatters would suddenly APP
pear In Hawaii and proclaim the same
sovereignty on the slopes OF Mauna
Loa- This strain of settlers scatter
over the vast area of the public lands,
SITTER the manner of the Canada thistle
They have no right whatever to occupy
any public lands which have not been
surveyed and thrown open to settle
ment, but they trust that a good ma
cured Congress will, in providing for
the opening up of such lands for occu-
patton. declare that actual" settlers
shall have the first selection. This has
been repeatedly done in the new ter
ritories. The indifference Of the public.
the cheapness OF lands, the popular
feeling that every one should have a
home, the fact that the squatters have
votes. has permitted this loose DISPOSE
tion of public lands. During the later
years. however. this practice has been
largely checked, and in some cases. es-
pecially ON the Indian lands, the Fede-
raj troops have driven or the squat
ters.
This is the game that has been open
q on the island Of Hawaii. 1t will be
deeeated. OF course. because the game
IL exposed.
Tue Presidents order, suspending
the sale Of lands. and asserting the title
a the United States to all public prop
erty. was made at the instance Of the
sluatters. who misrepresented the facts
In the case. The local journal which
rejoices In the Presidents order, be-
comes naturally the "Squatters' Bugle,
and appears to be pleased with the
movements OF these marauders. 1t Is
necessary for the local government to
resist any infringement of the local or
Federal laws by these land grabbers.
This attitude is quite sufficient to
bring the Squatters' Bugle to the front
and make 1t play the SQuatters' march
= tune which will be invariably fol-
icwed by the stirring music, Anything
TO beat the Dole Government"
Any attempt to defeat general
squatting on the public lands of the ISL
and Of Oahu, will naturally be de-
n0anced as "un-American," OF course
II might even be regarded as a patriotic
act II the Squatters Bugle would Itself
squat on Emma square, and SO obtain
. title to 1t by occupation and use
Water ands its level. So does journal
Ism. Even the thieves Of London have
IN organ"