Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-01-29


eral has been only too ready to alien
aie his homestead as soon as his title
was perfected. Where measure Of
success has been attained IL has been
where the homesteads have been con
tguous to some plantation. which fur
hished some sort of market for pro-
ducts and more or less employment to
the homcsteader.
The local market is limited. COMPETE
ton with products raised In California
and other of the United States out of
the question, and inter-island trans
Eortation expensive.
The land laws of the United States
government were enacted to meet the
requirements of country possessing
millions OF fertile acres. capable o.
producing the staple crops of vast
country, and were on scale of Iiber-
atty that has now practically exhaust
cd what once seemed an Almost limit
less domain. These laws served their
original purpose well, but successive
qualifications have been evident recog-
tition OF the need of adaptation to
special local conditions. Aimed TO
make the acquisition of land the cas-
lest possible the good results when
might come about In country where
the homesteader can count on reason
rbly sure reward for his industry might
easily be turned to evil II the opposite
conditions exist.
Applied to these Islands. we cannot
but believe that one result would be to
stimulate the taking up OF land by peo-
pie unfamiliar with the true conditions.
with disappointment to them as one re-
suit of more pronounced consolida-
ton of lands as another and later re.
suit Applicants would not be wanting
for favored spots. but too many would !
have In mind other purposes than those
OF bona iide homesteading. Il Is not
contended that these evils would exist
only In the case of the extension of the |
United States land laws, but that the |
existing laws are better safeguards !
against these results in Hawaii.
The uniform valuation OF lands. ac-
cording to class, would not reasonably |
apply 10 this country. where astonish- |
inB differences OF quality and value ex- |
list within the limits OF a very small |
tract. and where location is an i'm.
?ortant factor
The laying out of roads. without |,
which, in this mountainous country,
the homestead proposition can hardly !
be seriously considered, is not, so far |
as we are informed, contemplated I'M
der the United States system OF home
stead surveys, but is directly provided !
Tor under our present laws.
Under the existing laws as to leases, |
lease of forest or grazing land may
be made for the term of twenty-one |
years, by sale at public auction after
due notice for thirty days. II II be
agricultural land, the term of lease Is
limited to five years. In the twenty
one year leases are provisions for pro-
tecting the land from waste, for fenc-
Ing and preserving forests, and for re-
Of any portion Of the same
FOR settlement or other purposes. The
resent income OF the Territory from
oil leases is IN the neighborhood OF
100000 per year and this considerable
income is, In many cases, derived from
lands of which no other good use can
be made, as they are adapted to profit
able use only by expensive irrigation
works, requiring large capital for their
erection and maintenance. In con '
siderable number of cases these leases
are the basis for prosperous planta-