The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-05
Plans To
Investigate
Them.
COMMISSION IS
TO BE APPOINTED
What Hermann Says Concerning
the Probable Course To
Be Taken.
Especial Correspondence

Wv Nothing more than the provid-
ing for an investigation of the
public lands of Hawaii by a commits
sion will be done at this session of
Congress. This was settled by the ac-
ton of the Senate committee on Pacific
Islands and Porto Rico at it's meet
ing Monday, when the Hansbrough
bill, providing for the extension OF the
present public lands system of the
United States to the Islands was not
even considered. To emphasize the
matter the opinion of the Interior De-
partment is that there can be no abso-
lutely careful or comprehensive legis-
lation without such investigation.
There is now before the Interior De-
partment a bill introduced in the Sem
ate by Senator Sullivan, of Mississippi
at the request of Delegate Wilcox,
which was sent to the public lands
committee, and by that body sent on
to the department, which will bring In
the shape Of recommendations the full
views of Commissioner or Public Lands
Herman. This means the view which
will prevail should there be legislation
on the subject without any more COM
plete understanding and for that rea-
son becomes more valuable, though it
must be understood that there are
points on which the commissioner is
still ready to hear argument and
weigh it, before even framing pIs rec
ommendation. Commissioner Herman
talkeu to me very freely on the mat
ter, and said at the beginning, and
often thereafter, that In the filing up
of the public lands and the encourage
ing of full citizenship only, lies the
hopeful future of the Territory of Ha-
wall He said:
1--WE would find great difficulties
should there be an extension Of the
public lands acts to the Territory with
out some changes, for the conditions
which obtain there are so greatly diff
ferent from those which have brought
about the laws now governing the pub
lie lands of this country. There, SO
many conditions of fertility and pecu
liar fitness for several products that
it would be folly to attempt to apply
our conditions to the Islands. L have
had great interest in the land cues
tons of the Islands, and l am still
gathering all the information that
can. 1 believe that the onry way that
we can act finally with justice, will be
to send a commission to investigate
the entire question and report to Con-
gress upon the lands, their variety sand
fitness for various purposes, and what
sort of lands will best preserve to the
people the public domain.
II would say from my studies that
the lands would have to be divided IN
| to several classes. First, there would
he the fertile and highly valuable
| lands. which lie close to and are wa
! tered by the streams in the various
Islands, the lands which are capaple
| of high cultivation. These are or such
| character that few acres would
| offer all the opportunities for cultiVa-
| ton which could be availed OF py one
| family, and it might be found that
| there should not be more than twenty,
or even ten acres, given to one holuer.
| In many instances, perhaps, the tracts
/ would lie so that the divisions couid
| include the smaller amount OF such
! land with an adequate amount OF less
| fertile lands to place with these SO
as to make a good homestead Ior
| family After these would come the
lands which are susceptible of little
cuItiyation; lands which might afford
! forage for cattle, and nothing more
and in such cases there would nave TO
| be a larger amount given 10 lhuuce
| hornesteaders to take up the iands.
| Perhaps il might be found that there
| would only be a fair division should
| these lands be cut up into homes OF
500 acres each. Then would come the
lands which are capable or IRRIGATION
and there again in justice TO the nome
| etaadars there would have to be a
| new division as to acreage MADE anu
| tbe lands might be found to De pest
| canable of supporting the people when
| Given in 100 or 150s acres 10 edcn.
! These are only the sizes when occur 10
me as possibilities, and are not 10 ue
| taken as my final decision, even Win
| the information at hand, but give
them as a ground for discussion. An
! other class of lands to which L Woulu
| Give much attention, is the Iotesl
Iands There must be close ATTENTION
| noid to the preservation and extension
1 IF the forests in the Islands, anu IN. tlis
! 6rst duty of the lands aomlnlstt htloi i
would be the taking OF steps " tha
side reserves. and provide Tor the
49, IF the forests. and FOR the preser-
| vation of the water supply
| LAS 70 the class of lands Whlch are
| ,safI1, only when there is irr1satloL
| noSeihle a bill now before the congress
l,ay have something to do. 1t IS pro
nnsed in the bill introduced py oena -
| Tor Warren, to set aside the iliolilG ss
| nooaivad from public lands in the arIo
states and Territories Tor lne poi ond
| 80 nroviding storage reservoirs anu
VI PiS For tbe distribution OF the wa
&C. co stored over the lands. rms IS
| - ~ tbe ways in which II Is thouShl
- - tbe Congress will give the money
aded for an irrigation or the lah os
itbout any direct appropriation: "
o,,rse IL amounts to the Satiie ~
~ the long run, for the mos -, an,
| ~ ,,oxy owned by the GoVerIillell .
lahus 49, arid States. so called IL
lie IN chat in the adoption OF TINS
4 may for the reclamation OF tne Wss.-
| pIai ,onds there will be formed p,,si9
ern id ~ oorino for the lands or I1a-
tor I,,I;cb are in need of irrigation,
Ws wa 80 the lands which are now nsli
~. Iease by the large corPoI a. ~ llt t.c
more information Is