The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-16
CONGRESSMAN VISITS HILo.
Discusses Future of Territory and
Problems Confronting II.

CONGRESSMAN Stark of Nebraska
arrived in Hilo. with his wife and son,
by the Santiago. and will probably
remain until the departure of the
same vessel about the end OF the
month The trip is primarily for the
benefit of Mrs Stark's health In
cidentaIly Mr. Stark is keeping his
eyes and ears very much open and
acquiring all the information possible
relative TO Hawaii industrially, polit-
ically and commercially; information
which will doubtless be found very
valuable for future Congressional ref
erence when matters concerning Fed
eral administration and legislation for
this Territory arise. Mr. Stark says
that his previous ideas relative TO Ha-
waii were far from being either def
mite or accurate. and he lntlmates
that he. and Congress generally re-
ceived but little mental illumination
from the Hawaiian delegate. as that
gentleman's remarks. when called up
on for information consisted in rls-
ing. bowling. smiling, and sitting down
again. Evidently no one asked Robert
to explain the points of similarity be-
tween a haole and a coekroach; that
is the sesame which opens the flood
gates of his eloquence.
Il cannot say remarked Mr.. Stark.
that people generally on the main
land are very favorably impressed
with your present Legislature. Nor on
he other hand have you any occasion
| TO be discouraged. In this matter
ou are now passing through the same
| sort of a development which other
| states and territories have gone
| through before you. You have got
| to recognize your own mistakes and
work out your own salvation from
YOUR own experience The Federal
government cannot and will not do it
f! for you so long as you are allowed
self government and the ballot.
Mr.. Stark spoke of the uncer-
tain and clouded nature of land titles
| in Hawaii. and recommends strongly
the introduction of the Torrens sys-
TEN of land registration which orr
ginated in Australia and is now being
odopted in various parts of the United
States. Massachusetts has adopted Is.
Under this system the title to land is
determined by a court of registration
| winch dIIeT llNeSllSdtlOH gives a NCt
tificate to the actual owner. This GER
tificate thus bears the guarantee OF
the government. and any one disput
Ing the title thus settled ,ras alldf otH ils
certificate indeed have been erroneous
the government alone is responsible
Whoever may hold the land under the
certificate is safe and secure in his
possession. Where so great uncer
tainty in titles exist. as is the case
here. an uncertainty which the or
binary registration system can but
partly avert. for well known reasons
this is especially applicable. In al
diition there is that tremendous
hindrance to land conveyances and
other transactions connected with
real estate caused by the location OF
the only Office in Honolulu. :.
Mr.. Stark. who is a native of Con.
necticut. but has been a resident OF
Nebraska during the past twenty-five
wears. and been part of the political
DEVELOPMENT OF that state from the
beginning. is a close and careful
student of political and economic
questions. and Hawaii can but bene.
fit from his close acquaintance with
our territory and its people and in
stitutions.-Hilo Tribune.