Evening star., 1902-04-18
HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS
Gov. Dole Before a House
Committee.
LEGISLATION NEEDED
HE TELLS OF THE GENERAL CON-
DITIoNS.
Land Laws, the Labor Situation,
Wages and Other Matters
Touched Upon.
LEGISLATION NEEDED

committee on territories for some time this
morning
Preliminary to beginning Chairman Knox
asked members Of the committee If any
special Information was desired. Mr..
Robinson suggested that the whole indus
trial field should be covered.
/. In reply Governor Dole said he should be
glad to have questions asked. Mr.. Lloyd
asked If there was necessary any change in
the organic law.
There We're some things we should have
been glad to have had different" was the
governors reply, but we are endeavoring
to get along as best we can" Asked what
the criticisms were, Governor Dole dis
claimed any intent to criticise What he
had in mind, he said, was first the ques-
tion of elective franchises.
1--WE had thought the franchise might
nave been properly limited farther than to
Aslatlcs. Second is the question of land
matters. There is some vagueness regard
ing the provision allowing corporations to
hold 900 acres. Whether this is to be held
in fee simple or simply by lease or other
wise is not seemingly understood by our
people.
Election of Senator's.
There is also another very important
matter that may result in confusion in the
future, and that is as to the method of the
election Of senator's" Under existing con-
ditions he explained that there was a
grave doubt as to which of the senstors
terms expired in four years and which ones
held over for double that time. There are
to be fifteen senators go out at the expira-
ton OF four years. Governor Dole was of
opinion that an entirely new election would
be necessary to properly settle the ques-
tion.
Mr.. Knox said the committee had prepar-
ed bill which would take out four of
q g fhn sh0r,,
and three republicans" and to drop the
senators of this class according to the
number of votes they received, those re-
cefving the less number to go out first.
Mr.. Robinson of Indiana raised the oues-
ton OF politics in this plan and some ques-
| lions were propounded along this line
Shalr man Knox suggested that political
discussion would not net the COMMITTEES the
results that discussion by the governor
on general topics would.
The Land Question.
The land question was then taken up,
and Mr.. Knox asked what land laws would
be helpful THE large plantations are
mostly on leased lands,' replied the gov
ernor, "and these leases are now limited
tc hVe years. If this could be extended
to ten years it would be more satisfactory,
as 1t takes some eighteen months to pro-
duce a sugar crop"
AS to whether the amount of land that
can be leased by a single corporation should
be made less Mr. Dole thought no change
should be made. However, he said that
there was a provision which prevented the
purchase of such large tracts
Mr.. Robinson then took the governor in
hand and piled him with questions as to
how many large holders Of lands there
were in the islands; how many leases of
large holdings came down from the mon
archy; how many leases were made during
the republic?
Il cannot answer those questions" the
governor broke in. Il don't carry those
figures in my head
Mr.. Robinson persisted in his questions,
until Mr.. Knox interrupted to inform Mr.
Robinson that the answers to all his ques-
t1ons were in print in q public report.
what were about the number of acres
leased during the interim between the an
nexation and the passage of the organic
act?" continued Mr.. Robinson.
Gov. Dole did not know exactly Mr.
Lloyd suggested that there was no need to
ask these questions. as the answers were
| all down.
1T is only to bring out the industrial
conditions" continued Mr.. Robinson. II
understand there has been a recent lease
| OF 1900 acres-will you explain that?'
That was lease given to Mr.. Baldwin
OF timber lands, and the lease was to pro-
tect the forest and the rights are simply
for water was the reply.
Labor Conditions.
The labor conditions Of the islands was
the question then taken up by Mr. Robinson
Governor Dole made a general statement
that the labor employed was Chinese, Jap
anese and native Hawaiians. He was OF
opinion that a system should be inaugu-
rated whereby laborers could be encouraged
to work land on shares. There was q lin
tied demand for American skilled labor but
there had been no opportunity to expert
ment with American agricultural labor
There had been. however, a cooperative
plan tried on one plantation In which a
number Of white men from California were
working. This, he said, had proved fail
ure.
$50 far as the physical conditions In the
islands are concerned see no reason why
They, of course. will not work in gangs
under an overseer."
There were, he said, a considerable num-
Der Of white men in the islands other than
Americans.
For the present the industries Of the
islands could not be carried on without the
Chinese and japanese. In answer to a
question as to whether a change could be
made In less than fifty years in the class
of labor, Governor Dole replied that the
change would naturally be very gradual
unless systematic and energetic effort
was made to bring about an immediate
change, which was not likely.
Mr.. Robinson wanted to know il there
was any system whereby laborers could be
encouraged to work small holdings This,
| Mr.. Dole said, was one Of the problems
| now being worked out by the government
there to this end.
Mr.. Robinson then asked If some system
should not be proposed and legislation OBJ
tanned by Congress to Americanize the
islands.
Il think our present development along
that line with our present laws is or would
be better than any system Congress would
be likely to enact"
Question Of Wages.
Mr.. Finley asked what wages were paid
to laborers ON sugar plantations with
tho rent and fuel included the wage
amounts to about 81 day" Leaving out
the rent and fuel. he said, the wages aver
aged between sIS and $i9 month.
Governor Dole made the statement that
Plantations were not now paying. Mr.. Fin
ley wanted to know II wages should be
higher American labor would not go there,