The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-12-05
MR.. HANNESTAD ON
SMALL FARMI Nc

| Editor Advertiser:-I do not think i
was fair to print my letter about farm
ing on Maui in the Sunday Advertiser
| and pick out few lines from Their
connection and answer them in th'
sGazette.
However it is the interest I take il
these Islands that leads me to write
and, as 1 suppose you are in the Same
case, 1 hope you will find place in the
sGazette for a few remarks on your
answer.
AS far as I can understand we agree
that about anything can be raised on
these islands, and that it is desirable
to have white farmers tilling the soil.
But how to get them and what chances
they have here is the question.
You. say: 1.-THE tens of thousands who
went pioneering in the United States
gradually pushing the frontier over the
AiIeghanies. the Mississippi and the
Rockies, had much the same trouble at
first about selling products
| No doubt that is right. But, my
dear Mr.. Editor. have you realized all
| the wrecks that are lying along that
road? It seems to me we have wreck
ed farmers enough, in this country al
ready.
Further. "sman villages forming.
where the storekeeper, minister, law
yer, blacksmith, carpenter, cooper,
| 1umber-buyer, tanner, tavern-keeper,
| buyer make their home
Well of this kind of people, I think
we have more than enough already
They came ahead of the farmers here,
and that shows plainly enough that the
conditions here today are altogether
different from what they were in the
pioneering time on the mainland.
The fact is, that the pioneers men
toned had little or nothing for sale
and nowhere to sell it. Some of them
hardly knew what money did mean.
They produced everything they need
3D. and that time was the progressing
time for home industry. Every family
spun, weaved and made their own
clothes; they also made candles of the
tallow from the animals they butcher
ed, ETC., and they had no taxes to pay
They lived in a patriarchal way. I can |
remember, even as late as in my child |
hood, that a travelling party in "the
far west lost horse and could not |
buy another one in any other way than |
by doing q few days labor on a farm |
for it. The farmer said that a horse |
was of more value to him than any |
amount of money that could be offered
for it.
How such conditions can be compar
ed with the conditions on these islands
today can not understand.
Further 1--WE doubt that there is a
place in the group susceptible of cult
walton, which is fifty miles from a
steamer landing
You need not doubt that at all, sir.
Just look at the map and you will find
that you are about right. But where
are the steamers to take away the
farmer products? There is not one.
One could think that an easy way
to have that settled would be that
the farmers formed a company to run
! small fast steamer, fitted out for the
purpose, but the large steamer COM
panies would hardly allow it.
Further, "If the vacant public lands
# the group are divided among white
armers the latter viii make their own
markets and roads and secure their
,wn transportation. They have done \
everywhere in the mainland United r
tates and why not in the insular por-
ion?'' n
To this I have to answer, that it was d
OF the farmers who built the railroads
n the mainland; it was the railroads "
hat built the farmers. 1t is well Il
nown that the American railroads s.
-ere built through uncultivated land, n
nd that the railroad companies had n
lie privilege of some miles of the land N
longsfde the track. BY selling this Il
nd or easy terms they built up the eC
lrming business, and first from that b
me the American farming had some pt
,eed. n
Further. IF 5000 white people titled ii
10 vacant land of Maui, Lahaina and w
vaiIuku would fill Up with white peo- 70
e come 10 do business with them" &C
hat means about two persons to trade re
it'll each farmer. al
Poor farmers! til
I mentioned in my last letter a way CT
get white farmers SUCCESSFULLY by Fl
nending the land law to the end that
Young plantation employee could 10,
Ike homestead without living on ",
before he had got it in condition We
make a living of it. 1 would be IA
eased to learn your opinion about de
at. The suggestion is not mine. you he
low, it comes from much higher re-
ace, though hVe three li'ouSaiiu ms
at above sea level. III
r. Won intend to continue this dis -
ssion. then, pray. let US have little itx
ration; it commences to be rather
vial now.
could have a great deal more to Re
9 but 7 am afraid I have tried your
thence too much already.
w HANNESTAD- IKE