The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-24
HAWAIIAN PUBLIC LANDS.
Subject Is Treated by President San
ford 3. Dole.

ford B. Dole.
New York, Jan. 24-In this weeks
issue of the Independent appears an ar
ticle upon Hawaiian Public Lands,
by Sanford B. Dole. president Of Ha-
wall. Following is an abstract:
In the year 1889 kanhameha III is
sued a proclamation granting To the
Hawaiian people the right Of acquiring
real estate and other property and hold
ing the same without interference. Dur
ing the year 184S terms Of division OF
the lands Of the kingdom were arranged,
after much elaboration, between the
king and the chiefs and the people.
These briefly were as follows:
To the king a third, to the chiefs a
third and TO the people a third. The
number of holdings taken up by the
common people came up to 11,l52 aggre-
eating 2s,658 acres and averaging 25l
acres apiece. a considerable number OF
the small holdings so acquired have
since passed into the hands OF foreign
ers through direct sales or mortgage
foreclosures. The lands of the chiefs
have also largely become the property
Of foreigners by the same methods.
In the year 1884 the legislature enact
ed a law providing for the sale of home
steads to such persons as wished them
for permanent occupation. The ad-
ministration, however, were so little in
sympathy with the policy of this law
that no action was taken under II until
1883, when the new administration,
revolution OF the previous year, took
vigorous measures to carry out its pro-
visions. Up to the time OF the enact
ment Of new lands legislation IN 1888,
about 534 homesteads were taken up,
aggregating S,4SS acres and appraised
at Sos, 047, or about IS per acre, ana
averaging 10 $40 acres and a value OF
1927 apiece.
comprehensive than anything that had
preceded it, and covered the whole ad-
ministration of the public lands, eX-
cepting town and forest lands, parks
and roads. The settlement Of individ-
uals on small holdings was its predom-
inant feature.
-Four special methods were provided
for furnishing land to applicants wish
ing to occupy the same, i. G., homestead
leases, right of purchase leases, Tree
hold agreements and special agree
mentS of sale. OF these the right OF
purchase lease has been the most pop
ular with a list of 1856 holdings taken
up; the special agreements of sale
comes next, with 122 holdings; home
stead leases 115 holdings, and freehold
agreements % holdings.
The holdings occupied under these diff
ferent systems, aggregating SIC in num-
Der, have a total of 2S,065 acres and an
average area of 1856 acres. Their ag-
gregate value at the time of occupation,
as appraised, was $178, 466 or $2S9IO
apiece and 1896 an acre.
The administration Of the public
lands was considered of sufficient i'm
pOrtance since the organization of the
republic of Hawaii to justify the call
ing o f a special session of the legis-
lature. In view of the possible failure
of the project of annexation to the Uni
ted States it was deemed necessary to
develop a citizen class which should,
by its conservatism, industry and in
5 telligent interest in public order. be-
come a reliable support to the govern
ment Of the republic. There appeared
no more effective way of accomplishing
this than by opening the house lands to
those, both from the existing popula-
ton and future immigrants, who would
be ready to occupy them permanently
as farmers. The privilege of taking up
lands under this policy was limited to
citizens and such others as might re-
ceive the privileges of citizenship
through letters of denizatiOn. At the
same time the legislature had in view
the alternative of annexation.
The results have been somewhat dis
/ appointing. In proportion to their
numbers comparatively few Hawaiians
have taken up homestead leases or
lands under any of the methods pro-
Vided in the act.
Annexation, when complete, will cut
off a considerable measure of the cost
of carrying on the local government,
such as military, customs and pOstoff1ce
expenses, but such relief will in no wise
offset the loss of the customs revenues
as they existed before annexation.
Moreover with the rapid development of
the country under the stimulus of an
nexation, there viii be need of in
creased expenditures for public i'm
provements.
AS the public lands of the Hawaiian
islands are limited, and a large pro-
portion Of them are comparatively
Valueless, the Importance of the lease
hold system IS apparent. 1t is equally
apparent that a repeal of this system,
which would force the public lands on
the market, would deprive Hawaii of
a material part of the consideration
upon which the annexation was af-
fected.
The Hawaiian 1easehold system is
also important to the country in an
other way. The policy of land settle
ment in small holdings, if necessary
to the country in its independent condi-
ton may be regarded as imperative IN
der annexation.
This system conSerVeS the public do
main with adequate provision for fur
nishing land to settlers according to
the demand, under the reservation in
the general leases of the right of the
government at any time to take pos
session of any part of the lsasehold for
settlement purpose. The repeal of the
leasehold system would tend to throw
large tracts of lands into the perma-
nent ownership of sugar corporations
and other capitalists, thus depriving
the country forever of their control for
settlement purposes.
BY the constitution of the republic of
Hawaii the crown lands were placed on
the same footing as government lands
and have ever since been administered
under the same laws.
The area of crown lands in 1894 was
971,436 acres; the area Of government
lands at the same time was S21. S16
acres.