The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-19
LAND QUESTION IS
TAKENUpBYE EXPERTS

The Public Lands of Hawaii-How Can
They Be Disposed of in Small Lots,
so as to Secure a Large Number of
Small Proprietors Rather Than
Small Number of Large Proprietors-
And Some Other Incidental Matter.
The disturbances for many reasons,
which are superfiuous to recite, of ac-
complishing this object is evident to all
who are concerned in Hawaii. 1t Is Oft
en- convenient method OF solving a
problem, to eliminate hopeless attempts
a it's solution.
The United States Public Land System
This system was adapted for immense
areas of land much of which was of
little or no value when the system was
iDaugurated. Its object was to obtain
settlers and not to secure pecuniary
benefits. 1t was perhaps not such
wasteful system at the outset as it be-
came in recent years. But it is utterly
inapplicable to the small area of public
land in Hawaii. Moreover, the treaty of
annexation provides that the income of
and proceeds from Tie public land here
shall be used for the benefit of the people
of Hawaii, for public purposes, and not
for individuals. The public lands of Ha-
waii are subject to the trust thus impoS-
ed upon them by the terms of the trea-
ty and ought to be so used as to bring
the largest income which consistently
with public interests can be obtained
from them.
The great diversity in the value Of
these lands is an insuperable obstacle to
placing them all under a system which
allows settlers to secure squatterS I'll
ties. The grand rush in recent years
for the Oklahoma lands, when opened
for settlements, rush which had to be
held in check by United States troops,
shows the great difficulty of securing any
approach of fairness, even when the
area of land is susceptible of being so
placed under guard until the hour and
the day when the lands could be Staked
out and appropriated by settlers. To I'M
dertake anything of the sort in the wide
~ separated pieces Of land here, situated
as they are on different Islands, often
including almost inaccessible ravines and
cliffs, covering large tracts of rocky or
volcanic land, with now and then high
ly cultivated, rich parcels of great value
would present problem impossible to
solve, if there were an effort to secure
fair chance to all alike.
Inducements for Small Purchasers.
If giving land to settlers is out of the
question, can inducements be held out to
small purchasers, by offering desirable
lots of moderate area at auction, on con-
dition that purchaser shall reside upon
and improve the lots, and giving them
credit for the purchase money, perhaps
also exempting the lots from taxation
for a term of years or from sale by the
Sheriff in satisfaction of judgment
debts? Or by leasing the parcels on
similar conditions, giving the lessee the
right to purchase? Something of this
kind of experiment has been in operation
in Hawaii for years, with varying sue
| cess. 1t is probably worth a longer test,
perhaps simplifying the conditions now
attached to such transactions.
Prohibiting Corporations From Acquiring
Large Holdings of Land.
This is what is done by the Newlands
amendment in the Organic Act. But so
much of the land in Hawaii is now held
by large proprietors, whether incorporat-
ed or not, that the area for small hold
ings is not extensive Moreover. the
amendment in making 1000 acres the
limit of land to be acquired, does not
limit land-holdinss to such an extent as
to leave much to divide among small pro-
prietors.
Placing Upon Large Land-holders Such
Heavy Taxation as VIII Compel
Them to Sell Their Land to Small
Holders.
If the United States Constitution would
permit this thing to be done, would it be
wise, and would it accomplish the in
tended object? Portions Of the Western
States have not yet recovered from the
granger legislation craze. The grangers
found that they could Kill the goose
which lays the golden eggs. The sand
lots or Dennis Kearney agitation in CAL
ifornia drove capital away from the
State, so that for years enterprise was
seriously weakened. 1t requires enor-
nous capital to develop the resources of
a country, in agricultural enterprises, as
Hawaii has recently learned to its cost,
as well as in manufacturing and other
industrial enterprises yet to be develop
ed here. Capital is to be invited and
welcomed here. if we know what is for
the general welfare, and not inundated
and scared away. / have heard it said,
and not by illiterate persons only that
we have too many rich men in Hawaii.
I wish we had more Their presence
does not annoy me. 1 do not think they
are apt to be as cheerful acquaintance
or companionable friends as are people
of moderate means, as many Bohemiaus
I have known. Often they are stuck
up" l suppose, and especially if they
started poor. Those are the hardest to
stand, the newly rich. But l am FAR
from envying them and their accumula-
lions here are not made-I cannot speak
with knowledge of such places as Cali
fornia, which has long been in the habit
VI calling ltSSiI ihlIOltitQ ny bIe OOulu-
ern Pacific railroad system-by any I'M
fair dealings with people of small means.
They had the nerve, or sagacity. or
luck-often as much the lau-er as either
of the former-to buy or SELL or held in
a way which brought wealth How Oft
en- one sees or feels that if one had cone
or had not done this or that thing, ne
would have been frightfully rich. But
what is the sense or use IN growing
about 1t?
When Agassiz discovered the possible
ties of copper in the Calumet and Haecla
mines near Lake Superior. he obtained
the wealth which enabled him 70 give
million dollars to Harvard University.
He and his associates in that great en-.
terprise became very rich. to the ad-
vantage of his own and coming genera
lions.
The Bell telephone investments made
by a few far-seeing, or do you please to
consider them, bold spirits in the East,
rolled UP for the investors vast profits,
no small part of which has gone to the
uplifting of humanity, as well as for LIE
comfort of the investors.
Fair Desirable aS a wisely radrl-