The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-02-06
SMITH HAS
BEGUN WORK
He Talks Of His
Mission to
Press.

The San Francisco Call has had a
talk with Mr. w. o. Smith. who went
to the Coast on the Hongkong Maru,
bound on mission to present at WASH
ington the protests OF the local COM
mercial bodies against the proposed ac-
ton of Congress in reference to the
naturalization of the leper settlement,
and the immediate turning over of the
public lands OF the Territory to the
nation. In interviewing Mr.. Smith. the
Call says:
William owen Smith, who represents
the commercial bodies of the Territory
of Hawaii. arrived yesterday on the
Hongkong Maru and is en- route to
Washington. He is going to the nation
al capital to vigorously protest against
the recommendations of the Senate
Committee on Hawaiian Affairs on the
questions of establishing Federal land
laws in the Territory and the PROPOSE
| ton of making the leprosy settlement
at Molokai general leper settlement
for the whole country. Regarding these
questions he said:
|
Federal land laws are not suited to the
conditions that exist there. There are
but a very few sections of the Islands
where the law could be made applicable
at all and in those cases there would
| be very little demand for land under
the Federal land laws excepting for the
purpose of speculation.
There was a well defined land sys-
tenn under the monarchy for more than
hundred years, and about 1S4S a new
and carefully considered system was
adopted. This was known as the great
mahele." Homestead laws were adopt
ed later, and finally, in 1885, general
land act was enacted relating to the
remaining public lands.
This was largely based on the New
Zealand system, which system worked
admirably in New Zealand and under
circumstances more akin to those that
exist in Hawaii than any other system
with which the government is familiar.
Under the act of 1895 the acquisition
of land for homestead purposes is made
easy and inexpensive and the opportun-
i:y for speculation is very small. The
system Is not a perfect one, and doubt
less could be improved. But the area
OF public lands remaining suitable for
homesteaders is limited and under all
the circumstances 1t would seem to be
extremely unwise to wholly disregard
the experience of the past and adopt ar
entirely new system.
1.-THE subject of leprosy is one of very
grave Importance and deep interest tt
the people Of the Islands, and especial
ly to the native Hawaiians. There are
now about nine hundred inmates o.
the settlement of Molokai. or thes'
less than ten are white persons, abou
thirty are Asiatics, perhaps a dozen o.
) other nationalities, and the balance
native Hawaiians. Under the circum
stances it would be most unwise t,
introduce from abroad strangers int
this settlement.
They would be undoubtedly a disturb
|. ing element and mar the peace ant
harmony of this unique community
Moreover, to compel people from vari
Gus parts of the mainland, men, wo
men, boys, and girls to go from 200
to 5000 miles to what would be for
eign country, would be grievou
wrong. Unaccustomed to the language
habits and traditions of the strang
land they never would be happy ant
they would simply be sentenced to |
llNlilS uedtn.
"At the MolokaI settlement the pa
tients are cared for and their want
provided for by the government. Cot
, tages are provided and home life 4
encouraged as far as practical. Their
, are several institutions at the settle
ment for the care of the young an
helpless. One, home for girls know
as the Bishop Home was endowed b.
Charles II. Bishop. Another for boy
/, was endowed by II. p. Baldwin. TIL
girls are cared for by the Francisco
e Order, of Syracuse. New York, and tn
II boys by Catholic brothers, under tn
management Of an American. vetera
of the Civil War. The whole plan ha
been worked out with great care an
consideration and Is admirably adapte
= to the circumstances of the case. n
Il alterations or charges should be mad
! In In tlamant -