The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-04

cultivation and care of plants TO sup
ply man : necessities; but politically
agriculture Is something more, for
man ) necessities are not simply bound
ed by hunger and thirst or the desire
% he clothed. The field OF agriculture
has broadeued SO that states now con
.Ig.r the l.eans employed IN production
equally with the quality of the product
and its cost.
kich lands do not Of themselves make
rich country. so that the possession
Of extensive areas OF rich land by Il
state Is OF less Importance than that
the land. whether rich or poor, should
be well populated. Land capable OF
growing large crops may be absolutely
vaIueless because the cuudiTi onS OF gov
eminent are such that 4 civilized popu-
IatiOn cannot exist. Take map of the
world and one can see that there are
on every continent millions Of acres Of
tillabIe lands absolutely untouched,-
immense areas almost unpeopled. Ma
lions as we'll as individuals may be
land-poor through the possession Of
rich and well watered areas. Men are
worth more than acres.
Hawaii Is an integral part OF the
United States. Potentially II stands
of the Pacific coast But until Hawaii
Is peopled with citizen population IT
would cost more TO defend than would
all the rest of our western coastline.
AS long as its citizens are few IN num-
Der Hawaii would be more of menace
than a protection TO the mainland IN
time Of war. a large garrison would
have to be fed and would require large
naval defenses to keep open the lines
OF communication and prevent theI
starving out of the defenders. But es
tablish in Hawaii a hundred thousand
white farmers and these islands will
become actually what they are now, on
" in a theoretical sense, the western
outpost and first line of defense, al
country which could not be starved out
by simply cutting of or destroying
trans-PacIfc communication
It seems to me that We should look
conditions sguarelv in the face. Ha-l
wall Is weak because of the poverty OF |
four ffths Of her present population |
who have absolutely no resources; on
an average hardly enough accumulated /
wealth TO tide over a week : enforced |
Such utter dependence Of a |
weak race on a strong one does not tend |
towar : economic or political stability. |
upon their own lands. and while the
initial cost Of production of raw ma
terials may increase TO the derriment !
of some men 5 fortunes the wealth and !
political health IF the whole body poll
tic viii become immeasura bly, greater
What Hawaii needs most OF all IS not
an abundance Of cheap Iahorers. who,
through racial incapacirv and stress Of
daily necessities, lend themselves TO the
indefinite supremacy Of particular IN
3ustrv or system. but y race of men
who have faith in both the present and
future Of these islands Men are worth
more than acres.
NOTES OF WESTWARD ISLANDS.
Cerrit P, Wilder contributes an ac-
count Of his recent trip to Midway and
he islands TO the westward; with his
observations on the general condition
I the vegetation existing there.
The report states that Bird Island
$ the resort of nayriads of birds, which
ay and hatch their eggs during GER
ain seasons The Cannot (Sula
W nOpsJ was very numerous at this
ime Che was there in September}, and
ne While breasts Of the adult male
irds, as they sat perched upon the
ocks covering the sunny slopes, gave
he island the appearance of grave
tones in 4 huge cemetery.
There were neither streams nor any
igns Of water: whatever rain might /
& caught in the hollows Of the. rocks
-ould be contaminated by the bird de-
osits. and thereby rendered unfit for
Sc. The island is rocky and quite bar
en-: there are no trees whatever and
Ut a scanty growth of wild grasses,
leeds and vines
CONCERNING NECKAR ISLAND.
Concerning Neckar Island the writer
avs:
This island is of volcanic origin. ana
to Captain Hugh Rodman Of
ne L 8 Navy: Bears unmistakable
violence of having been known and
listed by an ancient race. A rough
athway extends the whole length OF
he highest ridge, the island itself be-
lg naturally rugged, uneven. and :
eatherworn, and at every available l
pot rectangular platforms have been ! q
instructed. One of these platforms I
: terraces measures so by As feet c
hey are mostly paved with pebbles F
nd small stones, and encircIed by
artly appended blocks Of lava, and
artly by low walls two feet high and
lree feet thick. a few rough stone idols
images have been found there"
here is little soil. and no water. and r
IT vegetation scanty growth of =,
varf shrubs.
a VISIT TO LAYSAN.
Laysan Island was visited by Mr. :
-Ider- While there he planted one
.coanut tree. and left % sprouted nuts III
ID number Of other plants and e
asses with Captain SchIemrer- it
The presence Of one old donkey and
few rniLcl cnm-s ytyas LIE Il he