The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-07-10
LAND LAWS OF
THE DELEGATE
REPORT TO THE INTERIOR DE-
PARTMBNT WHICH KILLED
THE MEASURE.
LAND COMMISSIONER HERMANN
AGREES WITH BOYD.
Recommendations Which Were One
Of the Causes of, Appointment Of
Special Commission to Visit Hawaii

4 'lOhS HlCh were One
of the Causes of, Appointment Of a
Special Commission to Visit Hawaii.
E. S Boyd, land commissioner. yes
! terday received in the Washington mail
| from United States Land Commission
er Binger Hermann a letter referring
! to the Hawaiian land bill of Delegate
/ Wilcox in the last session of Congress.
| pledging hearty support to the ideas
/ put forth in Washington by Boyd and
/ sending copies of the report made by
! the Commissioner to the Department
| of the Interior, which was In turn sent
! by Secretary Hitchcock to the chair
man of the Senate committee on Paci-
fic Islands and Porto Rico, and forms
one of the principal reasons for the ap-
! polntment of commission to visit Ha-
wall. The letter from Hermann. COM
missioner of the United States General
! Land Office is as follows:
Hon. Edward S. Boyd, Land Com
missioner Honolulu, Hawaii: Your
/ favor is just at hand in which you re-
| quest a copy of my report to the Hon
orable Secretary upon the pending bill
in Congress in reference to the puunc
lands of the Territory of Hawaii.
| am glad to be able to comply with your
| request in this particular and what will
| perhaps please you equally well have
obtained from the document room of
/ the Senate the printed proceedings be-
/ fore the committee on Pacific Islands
and PORTO Rico, including your tes-
! timony and that of Mr.. Haywood and
others. | also mail you several copies
| of the bill all of which l trust will
reach you in time for your use.
Il remember with much pleasure
| your mission here and wish to assure
I N1.W,N
| all which you so energetically advoca-
! ted has not ceased and l shall only be
too glad at any time to aid you as far
as 1 can.
Trusting we shall have the pleasure
of meeting you again, l am, with kind
personal regards,
Very truly yours,
"BINGER HERMANN,
Commissioners"
In his report to Secretary Hitchcock
Commissioner Hermann who had many
conferences with Boyd, recommended
that the Wilcox bin be not enacted.
Hitchcock went over the matter with
! Governor Dole and came to the same
conclusion, and the recommendation
that the bill be killed is in the hands
of the Senate commission that is about
to come here.
Hermanns review of the subject, af-
ter consideration of the bill by Sec
tions, contains the following conclu-
sions as to land laws in Hawaii.
In the consideration of this matter
we are met by very great diversity in
typographical features as well as by
peculiar mineralogical conditions. Tne
volcanic origin of these islands, ,ncir
size, and their rapid rise from the sea
level produce rugged mountains, deep,
narrow valleys of rich alluvial soil,
fiat, marshy lands, high mountain pas
lures, and barren lava wastes. lying
in close proximity and indiscrimlnately
mingled one with the other. Such min
eralogic conditions are practically un-
known in the administration of the
public land laws within the United
States, the windward side of the noun
tains being watered by copIous rain
falls, while the leeward sides are dry
and practically arid, demanding Tri-
ga ton by artificial means, and gener-
ANY accomplished by costly pumping
stations.
There are many rugged, inaccessi-
BILE lands which serve as watersheds
- divert the water supply to other
lands, and it is believed that the for
ests of the islands have such strong
definite influence on the water supply
as to make their preservation essen
TALLY necessary. These conditions
make possible, in fact demand, d great
er variety of agricultural crops than
have heretofore been encouraged and
fostered under our homestead laws
Ranging as Hawaiian products do,
from native plants, sugar and coffee,
to the ordinary cereals, their produc-
ton calls for methods of cultivation
not well known and appreciated in this
country.
"All of these conditions present fea-
lures which have not heret tofore been
dealt with by this office, and render IL
impossible for me to make any intelli- |
gent recommendation, and, for reasons
heretofore suggested, it is believed that
a careful investigation should be made
INTO the conditions existing in the ISL
ands before any proper and sufficient |
legislation can be enacted.
Il will say, however, that the expe- |
riences of the past assures us that, if |
possible, it would be we'll to dispose of |
the Hawaiian public lands, agricultur- |
al in character, under some system OF |
homestead or kindred laws for the |
benefit of actual settlers who are bona |
fide home seekers; and If local condi- |
tions permit such legislation, l am of |
the opinion that this obpect can be |
best accomplished and the monopoliz- |
ing of the lands be more surely pre- |
vented by a simple enactment extend |
ing the provisions Of the homestead |
laws of the United States to those |
lands, with such limitations and PROV
isiOns as may be deemed absolutely |
necessary to meet existing conditions;
but what these limitations and provis-
Ions should be this office is unable to
suggest, and for this reason believes
that competent commission, either
of one or more experts, should make a
field examination and by personal OBJ
servation and consideration in Hawaii
make such report as will indicate what
special limitations, classification, or
provisions should be considered by
Congress with a view to appropriate
legislation for the disposition or re-