The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-03
AN EXPERT
IS HERE
Washington Man
is Investigating
Resources.

Both President Roosevelt and Congress
are anxious to learn something more
about Hawaii. For the past three months
Frank e. Conner of Washington has
been quietly investigating the conditions,
chiefly agricultural, of the Islands, and
is to make report at the earliest posi-
bic date. As further evidence of the anX-
iety of at least the Department of Agri-
culture to find out about Hawaiian mat
ters Jared C. Smith received instructions
Saturday to forward TO Washington i'm
mediately all possible information rela-
tive to the cultivation of coffee, fruits,
vegetables and other products of Hawaii,
and in pursuance of that request he
leaves today for Hilo, to secure the de-
sired data
No reason is given for the unusual
haste manifested by the Department for
the information at the present time,
though il very likely has 10 do with the
appropriations to be made by Congress
for the coming year for the use OF the
Hawaiian Experiment Station, and may
possibly have little to do with the leg
isIation in regard to public lands which
Congress is expected to make at this
session. Both Mr.. Smith and his assist
ant Mr.. Sedgwick, are hard at work
preparing reports on various topics hav-
ing to do with their work, and their re-
ports Will pTODdblN supplement- the OAlS
to be made by Mr.. Conner to Washing
ton. This latter gentleman has been in
dustriously collecting information relative
to the agricultural resources of the ISL
ands for several months, and his report
goes either to Congress, the Department
of Agriculture or to President Roosevelt.
He has been employed different depart
ments at Washington, and his mission
in Hawaii at present is a special one,
having to do not only in an investigation
of numerous subjects but also to assist
Jared Smith in getting the experiment
station in good working order. He is
securing photographs as well as other
information, and his report is likely to
be as complete and voluminous as that
made by VIM. c. Stubs upon his visit
to the Islands last year.
Mr.. Conner said yesterday that his Wis
it was of no particular Importance, and
that he had been here now for three
months investigating various subjects of
interest. He stated that the experiment
station here was of much Importance to
the Islands, and that the local govern
ment should render more assistance in
financial way, as is done in other
States and Territories. He will not touch
upon the sugar raising to any great ex-
tent, except in its relation to the labor
problem. He is of the opinion that there
is not such a great need for laborers as
is represented as in a few years by the
introduction of labor saving machinery
one man can do the work now being done
by five Asiatics. Even on the sugar
plantations all the land is not used for
the cultivation of cane, and by the APP
plication of proper methods, he thinks all
this land could be put to good use, in the
production of alfalfa, grapes and vege-
tables.
In case of. war, this country would be
helpless, If the port was blockaded by a
fleet, because there is not enough pro-
duce raised to supply the people, even for
a short time. He did not believe in dis
couraging the growing of cane but he
did think that many other things could
be grown here as well as cane, but that
the planters had been so occupied with
improving their methods of cane cultiva-
ton that no attention was ever paid to
anything else. The need for a forestry
division Will also be investigated. Mr..
Connor does not know how soon he viii
make his report, but said, significantly:
1T would be sent to Washington tomor-
row if l could prepare it in that time
Mr.. Jared Smith goes to Hilo on the
Kinau today TO be gone Tor about ten
days. His attention viii be given prin-
cipally TO an investigation of the coffee
cultivation on the big Island. though
vegetable and fruit growing will also be
studied. From Hilo Mr. Smith Will go
to Hamakua, and make study of con-
ditions there The investigation ordered
by telegram by a. c. True. Director of
the United States Experiment Station,
includes coffee, rice, taro, fruits and veg
etables. Mr.. Sedgwick is studying the
condition of tarO, preparing information
for the report to be made by Mr.. Con-
nor TO Washington.