The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-29
HAWAII IS PROGRESSIVE
People are Earnest Promoters
of Education.
ITS GREAT COMMERCE.
Scientific Sugar Cane Culture
Finest Coffee I'm the World
Converting Waste Lands
School System Modified After
That of United States.

SCnOOl system MOuiIlcu hItcT
That of United States.
When the revolution of 1898 put
IN end to the Hawaiian monarchy
prominent resident of Honolulu re-
marked:-
81 have thousands of dollars of
real estate in the best business
quarter of the city, and | could not
today raise 500 on the whole of
It."
From the organization of the pro-
visional government in that year
there came an immediate change.
Under native rule there had never
been any difficulty in getting a lib
eral appropriation from the royal
treasury to pay the expenses of
chiefs funeral, but it was impossi-
ble to secure even limited sums for
the construction of necessary public
work
The provincial government began
at once to enlarge the water front,
facilitating the docking of large yes-
sells, and to dredge the harbor. A
magnificent road was completed
from Hilo, on the island ofHawaii,
10 Kileaua, the great volcano,
smooth as the boulevard of a city
and set on either side with bread
fruit trees, mangoes and alligator
pears. Other highways were sur
veycd and finished and the sugar
plantations began TO improve with
all else. So long as revolution was
imminent at any time there was nat
ural unwillingness to experiment in
new and costly methods of cane cul-
iure.
When annexation to the United
States insured political stability and
undisturbed public credit the Gc-
dvity which began with the passing
of the monarchy was immensely
stimulated Aside from the tempo
rary disturbance pending the discus
sion of admission of Cuban sugar
into American markets at a nominal
tariff the commercial development
of the islands has been phenomenal.
The evolution of one plantation
on Oahu is an example. The land
mad been considered worthless, ly-
island, but it was found that by irri-
cation and fertilization it could be
made productive. 1t had also been
supposed that the water on the low
lands obtained by boring wells
would be too brackish, but it was
also found that the cane could en-
dure certain per cent. of salt and
~i, Of
chinery was installed, clever con-
tr'vances, like wonderful shredder
invented by Mr.. Scott, of Hilo, being
devised. The mills are now bril-
iiantly lighted by electricity, run
ming day and night, while grinding
is in progress. The sugar is taken
through all the processes except re-
fning on the ground, and 1t is so
pure and light in color when it
leaves the mills that there is little
left for refiners to do. From the
time that the cane is fed into the
hopper, labor formerly performed
by stout, sturdy Japanese women,
until it is being put into sacks ready
TO transfer to the waiting schooner
little more than three hours elapses.
The most expert chemists are en-
Lloyed who as part of their work
make frequent analyses of the soil,
indications of exhaustion being
promptly remedied by the use of the
proper fertilizer. What has been
accomplished by these enlightened
scientific methods may be guessed
when it is stated that whereas in
1893 the maximum yield was five
tons to the acre the best lands can
now be made to produce ten, while
eight tons is of common occurrence.
The native Kond coffee is the fin
est in the world, not excepting the
famous Mocha of Arabia. 1t has
great strength with exquisite flavor.
1t has been affected with a destruc-
vented its export in large quantities;
1t Is nevertheless well known to the
epicures of New York and San Fran
cisco clubs.
The work of reclaiming the naked
mountain slopes and other arid re-
sions by planting algoroba and eu-
calyptus trees has gone on steadily.
The rainfall had been seriously di-
minished by the telling of the indi-
genous forest for cane growing and
by the ravages of wild cattle that
run at large in Hawaii and other Of
the islands.
The city is furnished with an in
comparable water supply, the rain
fall drained from the mountains
and filtered and distributed from
reservoirs. The sewage Is carried
out to sea by an ingenious contriv-
ance which may be roughly de-
scribed as a series of tanks, through
which it is forced, thus avoiding the
danger of communicating the harbor.
As there is comparatively little
manufacturing, and fires in private
residences and hotels being re-
quired only in the kitchen, disas-
trous conflagrations are very rare,
the burning Of Chinatown in the
spring of 1900 having been due to