The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-20
FIGHT FOR
LAND LAWS
A Representative
May be Sent to
Capital.
HOMESTEAD LEASE
WILL BE DEFENDED
Plans Forming for the Delegation
of Powers TO Represent
to Brown.


One of the most important of the
missions of Secretary Cooper at the
capital will be the explanation to the
Department of the Interior of the scope
and purpose of the land laws under
which the public domain is now held,
and disposed of, here. In addition to
I the facts contained in the report of the
Territory which viii bear upon these
matters. it is the expectation of the
members of the government that secre-
| tary Cooper will be called upon to show
all that is of Importance in the diff
ferences between the local system and
that of the United States at large.
So great has become the fear here
that the land laws of the United States
viii be extended in their entirety, that
there is a growing belief that it would
be to the interest of the Territory to
have at Washington man versed in
the laws of the Territory, to show just
what is the local status, why the sys-
TEN here is so perfectly applicable to
the islands, and what hardship would
be wrought by the extension of the laws
! of the United States at this time There
| is now on foot privately plan which
may be followed, to secure such rep
| resentation. During last winter J. K.
Brown who was then the commissioner.
was in Washington, and met many of
the men who will have to do with any
changes which may be effected during
the coming session of Congress.
Those who are interested in the lands
of Hawaii for the Hawaiians, are work
ing to have either Mr.. Brown, ore. S.
Boyd, the present commissioner, sent
on to Washington. They are of opin
ion that in the<event of the application
of the homestead laws, there would be
more of the newcomers, who would be
in the business of taking up lands only
for the purpose of selling them again,
than of the native Hawaiians who
would take up the public acres 1t is
understood that the latest communica-
tons from Washington indicate that
there is some feeling there that the
form of the Homestead lease, which is
prominently the plan to be of service
" IIiN law dtIctIlS, 10 llOI uIiQSISlOOu
The local authorities feel that this is
one of the most vital points of the land
system here and they want to make a
hard fight for it's continuance.
1t is not expected that Secretary
Cooper will stay in Washington long
enough to be of much service in this
matter, further than to explain the con-
ditions of the department, as he is ex-
| pected to return here within six weeks.
This will mean that he will leave
| Washington before the converting of
Congress, and it is before the commit
tees of that body that the fight will be
made. Delegate Wilcox is in accord
with the local authorities on this mat
ter, and it is said would welcome any
assistance that may be given to him
in the carrying out of the wishes Of
the people here as to the amendation of
| the laws.
There will be several matters which
will come up before the department as
well which will be of Importance, in
Guiding the matter of the proposed wa
ter rights in Kohala, and this may
mean that there will be more than one
object In the wanting to send on a
representative of the government.