The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-01
LAND MAT TIERS
DIR. H. Hayes Reports
from Washington.
Correspondence lnyOIyed--Statement
in Writing Made at the Sugges-
ton of Secretary Porter.

].
from the Hilo Tribune Of December 80.
1899. comprises the correspondence
which has passed thereon between Dr..
II. Hayes and J. \. P1rte.. secretary
70 President Mckinley:
Washington, d. C.. Nov. go. 1899.
Mr.. W. y. Smith, EdhOr Hilo Tribune
HilO, Hawaii.
Dear Sir: l feel that the people of
Hilo should know what steps have
been taken thus far in the matter OF
the Government lands, and what the
prospects are. When ! reached Wash
ingtOn IL seemed necessary thai the
matter should be laid before the Pres
ident at once, in order that he might
incorporate in his annual messIza TO
Congress any recon renda ions he
might think proper - make in the
premises. As the memorial has not
yet reached me l had 10 act. and act
quickly, in my private capacity: so |
saw Secretary Porter. showed him q
copy Of the memorial, and g.a.ed the.
case as plainly, ss briefly and as strong
~ as | could. He said the President
was TOO busy on his message to Con
gress, working day and night, to. see
me personally. but he suggested shat
] make 4 brief statement in writing
OF what / had said to him and he would
submit IL 10 the President SO ] wrote
the following:
"1752 Oregon Avenue.
Washington, D. c.. Nov. %, 1899
To the President:
I have rhe honor to submit the fol-
lowing facts, which came under my
personal notice while ! was residing in
the town Of HilO, Island Of Hawaii, re-
garding conditions in the Hawaiian ISL
andS OccasiOned by Executive Order of
September II, 1899.
1st. The enforcement of this order
has already greatly disturbed business
by the uncertainties il has created, and
will block several important enter
prises on the Island of Hawaii. such as
the building Of two railroads. and the
development Of coffee and sugar planta-
tons
Cd. About nine-tenths of the Hawai-
ian government lands affected by this
order are on this island, and conse-
quently the people there are especially
interested in the matter. and very de-
sirous that something be done promptly
to ameliOrate the present unsatisfac-
tory conditions.
Sd. Nearly all of these lands were
taken up in perfect good faith under
the Hawaiian land laws, as hOmesteads
and plantations, and nor for purposes
of speculation, and practically all Of
them have been improved and devel-
oped, as required by the grants. Most
of them were taken up under the Land
| Act or 1895, and the Iessee5 had not
time TO comply with all the conditions
| precedent to title lone OF which is three
/ years residence) before the Islands
were annexed 10 the United States
| Other settlers, coming after annex
| alton. took up lands granted them by
I the Hawaiian Government under Ha-
waian laws, which had been continued
/ in power and force by the Government
of the United States. The United
| States Government has succeeded tc
all the obligations of the Hawaiian
/ Government. one OF which is to OBJ
/ serve the terms of the contracts made
/ with the lsssees OF these lands. and
/ 20 grant them fee simple titles thereto
! 4th. These lessees have spent botf
\ time and money in the development o.
/ their lands, in costly experiments ir
| coffee culture, and in the erection o.
homes and buildings. For these ex
/ penditures no reimbursement wOult
I "a ObduiF BC Ald'lts ttAlN TIE ItLuNulnE o
the purchase price of the land wOulC
| not begin 10 compensate Them for theil
/ losses and outlay. Many of these les
! sees have also given up positions IL
the United States and severed all the.
connections there, and have gone Z
Hawaii > take up these claims.
5th. 4 memorial reciting these facts
, was being circulated on the Island O
! Hawaii az the time l left COctObe'
25th), and had already received tn
signatures of nearly all of rhe highe
officials and of many OF the merchants
professional men and planters of tn
island, and will probably be presented
20 Du in a few weeks.
have, therefore. the honor 10 re
Spe, fully suggest, in the Interests o
the people Of Hawaii, that you vii
recommend to Congress such legisla
ton as viii remedy the present unset
tied condition Of the land question an,
confirm il their titles all those who IN
good faith have taken up lands in tn
Hawaiian Islands in accordance wit
the laws of the Republic Of Hawaii.
/ have the honor 20 BE-. with higI
respec'.
Very truly yours.
HENRY HAYES"
With this I sent letter to Mr.. POr
ter, semi-Official in character. which h
could show u the President. but en-
bOdying statements that need not &
on record. The letter follows:
Washington. d. c., Nov. %. 1899.
My dear Mr.. Porter:-I enclose
brief statement OF the facts Tegardin
public lands in Hawaii. which
brought TO your notice the o her day
and which you suggested thar / put il
writing for submission 20 the Pres
ident. have been rOvcd in this mat
ter by the strong desire ! found anon
my fellow 'lr' owners in Hawaii Q
bring 20 The ErrsiCen-'s notice som
strong and direct eNprg gsiOn d -Sa+
t-ouJIes and needs. wa. a. -
know. the Secretary OF rhe Hawa -,
Commission last year. and subsequent
y took IN government lands Oh Ha
vail. AID was out thCTa this summe
Developing them when this order 1f III
Prpsid,lt checked further operations
I have. therefore. had opportunities 10
knowing the real conditions. / know
that the men who have taken up thes
~ I