The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-09-23

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n iNe iaraHHf HaUt on o. iat Ih.n.
t h.h OBJ. i.iaf.r .Hf hHUI h
IN. MONTH t. r...H iE u r.undf
U .H.uI.H Hri uI.H r.I.H n..i HH
.Hars thay prt.I M pounds rht
Dol Hl1 would mrE cote. DHsf n San
rnucife9 come slsf.er ..nts a pound.
nut th, hIah t rrI, rlil fHf coffee io
I knuuieia. was nn.Hn crNts %
pound The result uHf. ST. Terk said.
shat 90 acres are nuW abandoned and
bananas viii b. planted between the
trees. He said 1860 POUNDS would he
. tuo average per acre but there would
have 90 be- heavy potash fertilization.
aud he had not made that experiment.
lie said also that Central American
coffee planters were in bad way. BE-
| INK heavily mortraged.
Secretary Cooper said he had sug-
/ gcsted that the Army and Navy buy
/ their coffee from Hawaii but this was
I found impracticable. The two depart
ments consume 10000 bags a year.
LoEBENsTEIN TELLS HOW.
Albert Brown Loebenstein said he
had lived here twenty-four years and
wished to bring before the Commission
the question of public lands, advocat-
ing reform either by new laws of A
merican sentiment, the abolition of the
present land laws of the Territory or
the extension here of the Federal laws.
He said II there was no such change
there would soon be no lands left as
the government policy was the aliena-
ton of the lands and their passage into
the hands of the dominant faction.
The present land law, lac said, was
one of Mr.. Dole's creation and contain
ed features Of the United States and
New Zealand statutes, also points not
found in the land systems of any con-
sututionally governed country. The
latter, he said, consisted of right of
purchase leases, of freehold agreements
and inalienable leases for ninety-nine
years; the latter being passed with spe-
Cial view to the characteristics of Ha-
waiians, and further provision for the
settlement association plan, which had
reference to companies of not more
than six who might thus gain large
blocks. The operation of the act he
said proved ii un-American and I'M
progressive and unless changed would
result i'm the Territory being barren of
lands for settlers
Senator Mitchell then took up the va
rious methods of land purchase and
these We're explained at length. The
American system of a maximum or
minimum price for lands does not ex-
list Mr.. Loebenstein then read a me-
mortal at length. In the course of his
paper he said many thousand acres had
been alienated, and spoke of the indig-
nppnla
tive who was too weak to resist or too
eager to acquiesce." He cited certain
taking up of lands, saying there had
been utter disregard of the residence
feature, and that there had been col
fusion between the officials and sugar
interests. He also referred to forest re-
serves, which prevented the settlers
from securing lands which were capa-
BILE of the highest cultivation.
He attacked the settlement associa-
ton openings, the refusal to open GER
tain reserves, the permitting of public
officials to speculate in lands, holding
back of patents after payment the
sending to Washington of the Commits
sioner and the concealment of the true
character of lands under right of pur-
chase leases. Mr.. Loebenstein talked
that Sec. 24lO Revised Statutes, could
be made applicable here Opposition to
new laws he said was due to desire
TO hold on to good thing.
He claimed Hawaii offered an oppor-
tunity for diversified industries and
advocated the opening of the lands to
the axe and plowshare. He
said the American land laws
would permit the opening of
great tracts and would allow an
other industry to spring up. He sug-
gested that the lands held by planta-
tons under lease be divided among the
people as soon as possible, and called
Hilo Andromedae waiting for a deliver
er, because much of the land is held by
the Waiakea Mill Company and can
not be purchased. He urged the aboli-
ton of the lease system, saying the
government had been in the landlord
business long enough.
Senator Mitchell took up the exam
nation, saying that the memorial was
criticism of the administration, not
an explanation of the laws. He ques-
toned Loebenstein at length and drew
out some statements of interest He
detailed the method of procedure. TAX
ing the case of a 999 acre tract in Puma,
he said the matter was advertised as
Sec. l, Oneloa, at fifty cents an acre,
a right of purchase lease. Ten days
before the advertised time parties fell
in line here and held place, to the num-
Der of twenty, comprising Japs, Porto
Ricans and Hawaiians. The land went
TO a man in line, not the one who orig
inally applied, but one who kept men
there to hold his place, man who
could not carry out the provisions of
the land act, who got the land for some
one else.
To Senator Burton Loebenstein said
there was n strong sentiment here for
American homesteads and he favored
forty acres as the maximum. Burton
asked if twenty acres would not be bet