The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-01
Governor

results of the Hawaiian land policy has
been in vein of discoura cement as to
ats ultimate success in the line Of es-
tablishing d class of Independent small
farmers owning their holdings and
making a living from them
The present special interest in this
subject appears to have arisen from n
sentence in President Roosevelt's mes
sage to Congress, which disapproves of
large estates cultivated by cheap labor
in this Territory and favors the de-
velopment of small estates titled by
their owners. following as nearly as
possible the American homestead sys-
TEN.
Some alarm has been felt among res
tcents of the Territory interested in
large estates, lest the expression re-
ferred to might be significant of the
presence of a hostile sentiment in the
Presidents mind toward the continu-
ance of the large estates which are so
conspicuous feature in our sugar pro-
6uction.
No anxiety or opposition was ex-
pressed by those interested in the pro-
duction of sugar, when in 1895 the Leg
islature discussed the land policy of the
Executive of the Republic of Hawaii
and finally enacted the new land act
which substantially legalized such pol
icy. This legislature included many
VINO were personally interested in the
prosperity of the large estates which
were then as now chiefly sugar plan
tations. Yet this land policy as ex-
pressed by the legislation then enacted
on the subject, which covered the
whole administration of the Public
lands, radically favored the settlement
n III ia yrpo rhn CHI
cultivate their farms, and curtailed in
various ways the opportunities of cap
italists or anyone of acquiring fee SIM
PIE and leaSehold lands except as home
makers. For instance the Land Act
OF 1895 forbade the sale of any public
lend of over 1000 acres in one piece,
and ii limited all general leases of pub
lie lands to term Of 81 years, and pro-
vided that all such leases should con-
tain a clause allowing the Government
at any time to take possession of any
part of the leased premises for home
stead purposes without other consider
alton than pro rata diminution of the
rent according to the area taken.
The Land Act of 1895 has been carried
out according to its spirit as expressed
in it's terms, with liberality toward ap-
plicants for small holdings and rigidly
toward large estates. Beyond small
areas sold to sugar plantations from
time to time, from five to ninety acres
III area for sits of costly permanent
improvements, such as sugar mills,
pumping stations and buildings for
plantation use, few sales of land in fee
simple have been made to this class of
applicants, who do not appear to be
looking for any special favors from the
government.
The Hawaiian land policy has been
confirmed by Congress in the act Gre
ating the Territory of Hawaii, with
several notifications, of which, the
limit to corporations of the right of ac-
quiring over a thousand acres of land {
in fee simple, and the limit of leases of
agricultural land to terms of five
years, are the most important.
The Presidents message with the ex-
option of his expression in favor of
the American homestead system for
Hawaii, corresponds substantially with
the Hawaiian policy of recent years. I
He desires that American legislation {
should be shaped toward the develop I
nent of "a healthy American commun- I
lty OF men who themselves till the
farms they own" which result was the
ann of Hawaiian legislation on the sub /
Ject. 1t is not to be supposed that
policy of destruction of the existing i
sugar plantation enterprises is contem- =
Plated.
AS to the prospects of the Hawaiian i
Iand policy for the development of a i