The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-28
Kohala, Hind; for Puma, McStocker.-
Porto Rican Laborers.

Kohala, Hind; for Puma, McStocker-
Tribune.
Porto Rican Laborers.
The question of the importation OF
Porto Rican laborers is one of much
interest under the new conditions
which so widely affect our industrial
status. 1t being no longer possible tC
contract laborers outside the Union
the search is to find laborers to con-
tract within the Union, and with the
Union embracing so many Islands and
races as it does now, this should not
be difficult. AS to whether the Porto
Rican is a success as a laborer, there
may be some doubt. On his native
heath, so far as we can learn, his ply
steal exertions are confined mostly to
rolling cigarettes, taking siestas, and
keeping up with the shade as the sun
passes from east to west in his diurna
journey. In this he is not far different
from most of the mixed Spanish peo-
,ples of America, who are hardly a sue.
cess at any occupation save the posing
as ''tableaux vivants. Tribune
American Farmers.
The continuance of the Hawaiian land
laws will, in a measure, keep many Am
erican farmers from coming here to
settle on lands. Pioneers usually want
to know that there is land upon which
they can settle and grow crops; they
are willing to take chances on getting
the right piece, but under Hawaiian
laws they will be obliged to be here on
certain day in order to be present at
sale, and after the long journey neces-
m n hot no ry.in Of 1op
is far above their pile. With so much
land under long lease to corporations
it is not probable that many small
farmers will settle here during the next
twenty years, unless the government
takes the matter in hand and forces
the large holders to cultivate the land
or surrender it. Increased taxation for
such lands is the solution of the prob
lem, and it will probably be the method
adopted.
Streets in Hilo.
E. d. Baldwin, the surveyor, return
ed from Honolulu last week, where he
went for the purpose Of submitting to
the Cabinet plans for the street and
sewerage improvements in Hilo. Ever
since his return from the Coast Mr.
Baldwin has had in mind the plan to
lay out wider streets in Hilo and wider
roads in the district, and when he COM
pleted his maps he took them to Homo
lulu and presented them to Minister
Young and other members of the Cab
met
The trouble in securing prompt ac-
ton in the matter of street widening is
the absence of laws which enable us to
go ahead" said Mr. Baldwin yesterday
The country is now in a transitory
condition, so far as laws go. l am in
favor of making Front street eighty
feet wide, but when l showed the plans
and suggested that width to the Cabi-
net the gentlemen expressed surprise
Minister Young favored seventy feet,
but do not believe, with all the traffic
there is and will be on Front street,
that seventy feet is wide enough.
Il am in favor of wider roads in the
district, and believe that in future all
the roads should be of nearly uniform
width. Mr.. Brown wants the lines fix
ed, and when the time comes for wild
ening the streets he wants the work
done thoroughly. regardless of obsta-
Giles, when there is law by which the