The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-17
LAND AND SETTLERS.

We have considered the facilities
which oahu might have under a wise
Iy directed land system for the support
of the small proprietor. but this is not
all the story. There are other islands
of the group. each one of them affording
a most diversified field for the minor
forms of agriculture-places which. like
the Kona district of Hawaii, can pro-
duce crops of exceptional quality and
quantity for which profitable home
market exists. By no means is all the
land adaptable for sugar. Much of it
is good for staples of a widely different
sort. By changing attitudes the prod
ucts most in requirement here, that is
to say. those of the north temperate
zone, may be raised and there is land
enough In the public domain for the
purpose. All that Is lacking is the abo-
lition or modification of the baronial
lease system, such as has proved to
be the curse Of Ireland and has not.
save on sugar lands. been of any special
advantage to this group: ard the open
ing up OF land in small tracts under
some system of presumption. We do
not favor competitive bldding on large
tracts with even a low upset price to
start with. for II usually happens that
the rich get the land and leave il in
the hands of Japanese to cultivate in a
lazy way while the proprietor holds or,
in anticipation of a rise of values un-
der which he may sell. No new coun-
try was ever well built W IN that way.
The poor but industrious mar needs to
be encouraged and given chance be-
fore such a country can rrosper-some
one who will go on land and cult ate
every inch of 1T, finally. having COM
piled with the usual conditions of resi-
dence. acquiring a patent from the
Government.
The good that would flow from such
policy Is manifold:
= First-It would steady the social con-
ditions. enlarge the responsible middle
class and leaven the electorate, which
as II stands. Is in need Of q closer fell
lowship with American ideas.
Second-It would build up large
towns on, each Island, thus giving PEG.
pie. however far removed from tn,
older centers of the. group, the enjoy.
ment and advantage of urban condi
tons.
Third-It would make the cost Of liv
ing cheaper. Because of thousand.
and tens OF thousands Of upland acre.
lying idle or merely used for gr1zing
the price of vegetables. fruit. eggs
poultry and green truck" is from tw,
to four times more than it Ia i'm Sa,
Francisco. The best celery m1v h.
raised on some of the IslanGs. vet W.
import celery at 25 cents g bunch from
san Francisco. Eggs, poultry. butter
potatoes. cabbages AMI fruits com
nom there; though the small proprie
tor. IL given a chance to produce tber
on this soil, would do so at a cos, tho
you'd enable him to make cheane, Iiy
ing for others while making n poo
living for himself
Fourth-It would prepare Hawaii "a
statehood. 1t is the unwritten law NO
to admit territories as states there a
alien sentiment sways a great mart q
the electorate. That is why New Mex
leo and Arizona, where Mexican senti
ment Is yet strong. nave knocked /
vain at the doors of statehood for
generation.
Fifth-FinaIly white mon of Ameri
can citizenship are needed 70 nurse an
preserve white Ameriessn institution
here which may. without them becom
tinged with alien ideas and prejudice.
Let us not be like the youth was be
fore the war and is TO some degree We
"a barony Of vast estates, with servil
labor and the middle class white ma
at discount. Let us. instead. be- lir.
the North. where Americanism Is I'll
dominating note and where the small
proprietor Is the most familiar and use
full factor in the common citizenship.