The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-12-10

up the land laws question, with special
reference to the cases of the Hawaiian
homesteaders who are threatened with
eiectment on account of failure to COM
ply with the terms under which they
took up land, and has sent a long re-
port on the subject to Governor Carter,
opposing the application of American
land laws to Hawaii. The report con-
tains the following review of the sub
ject:
Our efforts were mainly directed to
study of the question whether a rigid
enforcement of all the provisions of the
existing law would accomplish the
purpose, and especially whether the en-
forcement of the residence clause" was
fair and equitable under existing con-
ditions. From the large number of an
swers received to our circular letter we
find that about so per cent have not
complied strictly with the residence
clause, and that all of these, if the OPP
inion of the Attorney General holds
good, will be denied patents, be evicted
| from their holdings, and their improve
ments revert to the government. Most
of the lands have been cultivated in
|
have been spent in clearing, cultivating
and improving them. On inquiring into
the cause of the failure of these settlers
to live on the lands we found that most
of them had been unable to do so be-
cause of the large amount Of money re-
duired to bring them to a state of pro-
ductiveness; that they had been unable
to make a living from the beginning
and that they had been obliged to seek
employment elsewhere in order to sup
port their families and obtain the
means to develop the land. others had
been assured by officers and employees
of the Land Department that actual
| and continuous residence would not De
REQUIRED provided they cultivated the
! required acreage and made the required
/ improvements, and relying on the good
/ faith of the government, and knowing
that others had obtained patents with
out actual and continuous residence,
they continued to invest their savings
in the land Still others, who attempt
ed to make their homes on the lands,
were met by the failure of their crops,
low prices and limited market, while
the cost of living exceeded the returns,
and the failure of the government to
fulfill it's implied promise to build roads,
rendered it practically impossible for
them to remain. These people have con-
tinued to cultivate and make other I'M
proVements, hoping that they would be
allowed to get patents, and that condl-
tions would sometime improve so that
they could make their actual homes on
their land.
A very small minority have been able
TO comply with the residence clause IN
spite of adverse conditions, but in near
" all these cases there We're special
circumstances that made it possible,
such as proximity to sugar plantations
or government road work, on which the
homesteaders were able to obtain en-
ployment.
Going into the broader general prin-
ciples of whether actual residence, as
contemplated by the federal law is APP
plicable to public lands in this Terri
tory, we believe it is not, for the FOL
lowing reasons:
1st.-On the mainland public lands
are sold at an average price of from
S1.25 to $1.5O per acre, and no interest IS
charged upon unpaid portions; in Ha-
waii the public lands are sold at from
S. to $12 per acre, or more, and per
cent per annum is charged until the
whole is paid.
2nd.-On the mainland the great bulk
of the public lands will produce sum-
cient crops of vegetables and cereals
to maintain a family, within six months
or less after settlement, and the land
is ready for immediate crops of vege-
tables and cereals to maintain fam
ily. within six months or less after set
Element. and the land is ready for inn
mediate planting; in Hawaii the public
lands have generally to be cleared of a
heavy tropical forest at cost ranging
from $50 to 800 per acre, and when this
is done the only crops that can be rails
ed at a profit are sugar cane, bananas,
coffee and perhaps a few tropical fruits.
The cost of producing any of these
crops is from $25 to 800 per acre over
and above the cost of clearing, and the
time required ranges from Is months to
four or five years, and then they are
profitable only under favorable condi-
lions of location, etc, and when good
prices prevail. Add to the cost of clear
ing, the amount of time and money re-
uuired to raise a crop and the high
J price of living. and the settler who
! personally and continuously resides
upon the land will require a bank ac-
count that could be more advantage
/ ously invested in other ways and in am
other country 1t is often impossible
, to grow the ordinary garden vegetables
for the table, and cereals will not grow
, at all on most of the land.
9rd.-On the mainland public lands
are easily obtained and the lands are
readily accessible, while in many cases
, railroads tap the country; in Hawai-
there are no roads to much of the land
that is opened for settlement and, ow'
ing to the mountainous nature of the
country and the heavy rainfall (espe
. cially on the windward side of Hawaii,
the lands are, at times, almost mac
cessible. The only way to reach then
at best Is over narrow and precariou'
: trails, which greatly increase the cos
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