The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-08-03
TOURISTS VIEWS
ON HAWAII mel

''Kona presents a prosperous appear
ance," said a mainland tourist yes
terday, but 1 am told that there is
no money there. Between Kailua and
the port where we left the steamer
there appeared to be about a thous-
and homes presenting a healthy APP
pearanoe, but 1 am told there is not
much behind them in the way of mon
ey.
THE small farmer, as you call him,
farms only enough to supply his needs
in the eating line; he ships nothing
to market on account of freight rates.
Kona seems to me to be capable of
supporting a population of fifty thous-
and people and it would if the trans
portation companies would offer some
inducement to the farmers to grow
products for export. Perhaps this
freight business is a matter which
may come within the powers of the
railway commission to regulate, I am
not familiar with it, but / am told
| that preference is shown certain of
your products. One of your railroad
| companies, whether it is the one on
| this island, or that at the capital, 1
| am not sure, has regulated it's rates
SO as to conform with the regulati tons
of the commission. If railroads do
this it seems to me that it might be
extended to steamship companies to
, good advantage to the country.
I'm my opinion there is sufficient
natural attractions here for tourists
but you must enlighten us as to what
you have. We of the East and
guess the people of the middle West |
are the same, are lacking in informa- !
is as scarce as hens teeth and until |
you place it in the hands of people |
who travel you need not expect an |
influx of tourists. The country must !
be advertised just as California has
been. Your mammoth sugar planta-
tons are a sight worth many miles
of travel to inspect. I have visited |
Eva, passed near the large one on the
other side of this island and went
pretty we'll over Olaa. The work at II
the latter place has been something
wonderful and in time it should be a
paying proposition.
But your sugar stocks are down
and it seems to me it is a good time
to buy. The more tourists you bring
here the better your industries will be-
come known; they may invest in your
stocks and create a demand for them.
Another thing which should be brought
to the attention of the people on the
mainland is the possibilities for the
farmer. You have thousands of acres
here unoccupied and we have thous-
ands of men on the mainland looking |
for just the opportunities which this
offers. Get a hundred intelli-
gent white farmers in the Kona dis 8
trict and the freight rates would soon :
De regulated. They can grow between |
seasons what California has not and
heir products should bring good re- RI
.urnS. There should be a harvest here
or the grazier. 1 understand you pay
about three times as much for your
beef as we do in the East. Evidently l
he demand exceeds the supply there
'ore it is for settlers to go into the
business of raising beef cattle. The
ands in Kona seem to me to be well
-dapted to that business and, it should
De a success. You cannot however,
xpect people to come to the Terrific
y until facts are made known to
hem. Your Board of Trade should |
AXE this matter up and get out liter
ture. What Hawaii wants is capital
What this island needs is better trans
facilities. A railroad should /
ap every plantation, every village on
his island, and when you have that
lilo will be a city of Importance. I'll
ave visited Oahu and Maui and
ave gone over this island as much as
ny time will permit I would like to
ave gone by carriage to the other
nd Of the island but my time will
lot allow and I will return to the
'oast by the Enterprise. This is con-
enient, by the way. for tourists who
o not want to pay Honolulu a sec
nd visit after seeing the Volcano."-l
lilo Herald. !.