The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-02-21
AN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

| Lahainaluna Seminary. II would seem
is itself keeping an eye on that Federal
subsidy of $4,000 year for an agri-
cultural college in this Territory. This
was to have been expected. as Lahaina-
luna was the institution mentioned In
government circles when official notice
first came that Hawaii only required
to have the college to get the money.
Whether it is on account of the clouded
titles Of Lahainaluna as to its water
rights and land tenure or something else
the authorities have not been saying
much. II anything, of late regarding the
erection of an agricultural college for the
Territory on the ancient foundation at
Lahaina. The matter should, all the
same, be kept warm IT will be no
small addition TO the Hawaiian educa-
tional establishment when that Federal
subsidy becomes payable. and the meas
ure of the acquisition will not be so
much the amount of money as the man
ner in which It will be earned.
There is a great deal said at home
and no small amount of effort being
e, tried at Washington, for the purpose
to various public needs in this Terri
tory. This is all right. Yet here we
have money in a permanent FUND
awaiting our call-that Is, just as
soon as the money is made due through
some little effort which we ourselves
are required to make. 1t Is exceedingly
gratifying to learn that the teaching
staff of Lahanaluna, and no doubt
the students too. are still pursuing the
hope set before them--some years ago
now-of making their institution the
winner OF the Federal subsidy for a
Territorial agricultural college. They
should not have the hope dashed by
any sticking at trifes on the part of
the Government. If the title to the
seminary land is dubious in any re-
spect, so that 1t would be unsafe to
the Institution until the cloud is remov-
ed IL II can be, then no time ought to
be lost in having that question settled
forever. Should the test prove un>
favorable for the institution, still La
hainaluna cannot be abandoned 1t
would be criminal to allow the Oldest
school in the country, just when 1t has
acquired new life and functions, to be
wiped ont. Surely the Government has
enough suitable land on Maui to fur
nish new site to the institution
should that become necessary.
Maui ought to have the agricultural
college for different reasons, the first
being that Lahainaluna on that island
was the FIRST candidate. 1t is the mid
al bn hItll nj
the group. Maui was once and may
still be the premier island in the matter
of diversified agriculture. Oahu has
two institutions now, where agriculture
is speciality in the training of boys.
One of these Is a private institution
and richly endowed with resources of
money, and 1t draws it's students from
all the islands. The other is a public
institution, but being of the character
of reformatory it cannot be mention
ed in relation to the class of youths an
agricultural college would invite. All
the same both of the institutions allud-
ed to teach practical agriculture and
both are on this island, and the facili-
ties of agricultural education ought to
be distributed as widely as possible
over the islands-just as the Hawaiian
Sugar Planters Association has found
1t desirable to have branches of its
Honolulu experiment station started
at different places in the group.
Now that the Legislature is in session
this matter of an agricultural college.
for which $4,000 of United States
money annually is available, ought not
to be allowed again to slumber.