The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-20
SORRY To
LOSE THEM
How the Molokans We're
Regarded in Los
Angeles.

The Los Angeles Times of February
} II tells of the departure of the Molo-
kans from Los Angeles:
II Arrangements were made yesterday
for the departure of most of the Rus
sian colony from Los Angeles to Kauai,
Territory of Hawaii. The MoIokans
will leave within thirty days on a spe-
cial steamer chartered for their use.
The leaders, and 700 others, have
| expressed a desire to journey to the
South Seas, and, with their wives and
children, the strong, bewhiskered men
will soon depart.
| AS preparation for their leaving
groups of from fifteen to twenty of the
| simple pea sants went before the Coun-
ty Clerk at the Courthouse yesterday
and took out their first naturalization
Papers. They want to become Amer
lean citizens, since they will still be
| where the Stars and Stripes float
| Either a steamer of the Pacific Coast
| line or special boat will be chartered
to take the men to the islands. There
| is joy among the simple folk because of
| the opportunity offered for them to
Iagain become farmers, and enjoy the
| sweets of a pastoral life.
| Since coming to Los Angeles the
Molokans have learned much. Several
speak English after a fashion. and
among the leaders are those who can
| converse fuently A number have
learned useful trades. Some of these
have elected TO remain in Los Angeles.
| The backbone of the colony will go
| to Hawaii All of the older mem bers
have decided to leave. The aHabsorb-
| ing desire is to become possessors of
| land. On the steppes of their native
soil many left homes which represented
| the result of years of labor. Several
gave Up small fortunes to come to
| America. Most of the colonists ar
| rived penniless, as their scanty hoard,
hastily gathered was eaten up by
greedy officials on the boundaries of
| the countries through which the emil
grants were abliged to pass.
| They have worked faithfully since
coming to Southern California. and
have saved most of the money earned.
| They ask odds of nobody and have
les .ned to be independent since leaving
| Russia They are suspicious to de-
gree, and 10th to trust any one.
The United States government has
offered to the local Russians an Oppor-
| tUnity to earn homes. They will be
| allie wed to take UP forty acres of land
| on the fertile island for each person.
| This liant can be purchased outright
at Si5 an acre, or proved up on in
| tWenty-oEe years.
The island leases held by sugar cane
companies are about to expire, and the
land has reverted to the United States.
| Ain ost every acre is under cultiVa-
| ton, and much of the land is I'm full
| bearing. with heavy crops of cane. The
| sugar factories will take all the cane
| that can be supplied The cane is
| Ncrth $40 a ton in the fields.
| The I ussians will be cared for dur
| ing the first year, and to each wiz be
| advanced $40 month, which they will
pay back when the returns from their
| crops are realized.
| The government is said to be facing
a serious problem in connection with
| Oriental labor in Hawaii The coolies
have practically swarmed over the is
lands, but are available for certain
kinds of labor only. There is a de-
| sire for the importation of white Ia
| Dor, and business men and capitalists
have interested themselves in the plan
| to bring the Russians.
United States Land Commissioner
Pratt under whose supervision the
| Russians are to be transported to Ka-
uai, has offered the men every advan-
tage possible. He will also endeavor
| to persuade white families to take up
the Droffered land.
The Pacific Coast offices of the Ha-
Waiian company on West Third street,
near Spring, will handle the transport
tation of the Russians from Los An
geles. At the offices yesterday it was
stated that 700 have already signed to
go, and that probably many more will
do SO.
Kauai. the goal of the Molokans is
the fourth in size of the Hawaiian
group, and contains SAT square miles.
The soil is fertile, and pineapples, ba-
nanas and cane can be grown in album
dance. Much of the land is available
for pasture. The condition on which
land can be taken up. in the island, is
that at least % per cent must be
placed under cultivation The climate
is said to be all that could be desired,
resembling that of Southern CaIifor-
mia.