The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-17

~ OllS Ol Tie HlOSC cdTG1uI
members of the administrat ton, who
knows the land laws of Hawaii as well
as any official of the Government there,
will lay the ground plan for a new
system of land legislation for the Ter
ritory. This will be done not as an act
OF supererogation but with the intent
of aiding in reconstruction, at the earn
est request of Delegate Wilcox. That
there is no man in the United States
better qualified to act with the Hawaii
ans in the reconstruction of the land
system is acknowledged, for since his
incumbency of the land office there has
been the most complete satisfaction
with his decisions and Of him the
President of the United States says:
II can go to sleep without any care as
to how the land office is being conduct
ed, for know Hermann is doing bet
tel than ] could myself"
The manner in which Hermann was
brought into the matter indicates the
character of the man. Among the many
plans for the Legislature during it's
first session none have been so much
discussed among the Independents, ac-
cording to Wilcox, as new land legisla-
ton. This, however, is not in the prov
ince OF the Legislature entirely, for
while Congress re-enacted the laws of
the republic it is in the province of
that body alone to make new ones.
This will not be possible before the
next session and SO the delegate has
decided that any bill which will be
proposed for consideration at that time
will be one which has been carefully
prepared. In a conversation with Mr..
Hermann on the subject that official
gave his immediate approval of the
general plan OF reorganization and
proffered his help to frame such legis
lation as will be most valuable to the
Islands.
In a general way the result of the in
formal conference between Hermann
and Wilcox was to indicate that they
have the same fundamental plan in
mind. and that that is the same one as
has been advocated by the Advertiser.
The principle which will underlie any
bill which they may frame, according
to the outlook, will be the encourage
ment of the small owner and the speedy
settlement of the large tracts which
are now held under leases. In other
words it is the aim of the delegate to
have the lands Of the Territory placed
in the same general category as those
of the public domain here. 1t is, how
ever, appreciated that there cannot be
applied to the lands of the Islands the
same terms which have been found to
be advisable here. The first change in
the proposed bill from the plan follow
ed here will be in the size of the home
steading tracts. While in this country
there are given to settlers 100 acres, it
is the opinion of Hermann that the
best results will follow the reduction OF
the size of the tract to twenty acres
there. It is more than likely, too. that
there will be a restriction Of the rights
! to settle upon lands, the homestead
privilege being given only to citizens
], of the group. In the opinion of some
here that is local matter and they
will not make objection to whatever
may be deemed proper by the delegate
J There will not be a gift of the land
according to the present idea, but
graduated installment plan Of payment
for the lands. 1t is also proposed tc
have in the bill such a clause as will
compel the settler to take up his resi-
dence upon the and at once and begir
his Improvement of 1t. Thus it is hoped
that there will be from the first sucf
an increase in the farm or rancn own.
ership that the increased values will re,
suit in large additions to the tax list:
;, and the immediate development of the
Islands from the standpoint of agricul
ture.
One point which will be insisted up
on in the bill by the Public Lands o.
Territories committee will be the com
lpIete surveying of the lands and thu
running of new subdivision lines. In
lstead of following the paths through
THE mountains the lines will be as thos
lin this country, straight, followin,
/ some established meridian, and tn
township divisions now recognized her
are to be introduced SO that in the fu
! ture, should county organizations b
Thought necessary, there will be n
trouble in making them. The genera
Government will not be recognized i
the plan but there will be an assimiia
ton of the plans of the land system
with some further notifications to fl
; the needs Of the community.