The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-24
MOL 0KANS
HESITATIAG
Still, Captain Demons
Thinks They viii
Come Here.

1t is we'll known that all the Moio-
kans who were expected to settle on
the Kappa lands on Kauai did not come
to the Islands, but they will get here
| in time There is still correspondence
between Land Commissioner Pratt and
Captain p A Demens, of Los Angeles,
who has acted a a sort of guide, philos-
opher and friend for the Russian sec
retaries. and there is hope that many
more will come. In the Alameda s
mail, Commissioner Pratt received the
| following letter from Captain Demons:
Los Angeles, Cal, March IA, 1906.
| Mr.. JAS w. Pratt, Commissioner of
Public Lands, Honolulu.
Ny Dear Sir: | have your favor of
the second instant. l did not cable, as
you know. Upon the receipt of your
letter, l had to consult with the leaders
of the various factions of the Molo-
kans now here before | could answer.
To make the situation clear, [ must
state that there are about fifteen hun
bred Molokans here now, divided into
some five or six factions of various
sizes. Only two have located-one, of
about fifteen families so far, in Lower
California, Mexico; another on Kappa,
Kauai Of the latter. about twenty five
families are still here, waiting for vari-
Gus reasons, mostly for the balance of
their families now on the way from
Russia to arrive, SO as to go to Kauai
together.
KNOCKING THE ISLANDS.
All the remainder, some two hun
bred and fifty families, are yet without
land. Since you have been here, their
several leaders have been to inspect
many lands offered to them in the
States and in Mexico, but so far none
were accepted. After each trip they
came to me, and I know positively that
everything inspected so far has been
rejected.
| am sure that they hold the Islands
as reserve, waiting to hear from
those already on Kapaa. l fully I'M
derstand the position they take, as
there was and is no end of the hardest
kind of work put up against the Islands
by everybody. Besides, some of the
leaders are selfish and pursue their own
personal interests.
They are offered all kinds of graft
by the promoters of the various land
schemes, and are loath to give up these
inducements. l have nothing special to
offer to anybody, and am very cautious
and conservative in all my statements
to them. I do not force the issue, and
let them have their own time.
All these leaders assure me they are
going to inspect the Hakalau lands, and
the Islands in general-three of them
were so sure about it that 1 wrote to
Mr.. George Ross in San Francisco
couple of days ago to be ready for
delegation at any time.
LEADERS GRATING.
And / believe that such a move will
materialize shortly. At the same time
am not sure of anything, as at any
time some of them may be bought by
these promoters. and may accept land
elsewhere.
You may act as you deem best. 1
can not become responsible for what
these people here may undertake
am absolutely sure that there will be
enough people from there and from
Russia direct to occupy Kappa as per
agreement with you and Spalding-but
beyond that 1 can not guarantee any
thing, especially as the price of land
and the contracts with the plantations
have to be made in each case separately,
and you know yourself what that
means and what an amount of time
and hard work it requires.
1t happened so that 1 knew the gen..
eraI character of all the lands inspect
ed by them SO far, and could consci-
entiously advise them against accept
ing them. And they listened to me. AS
all I care for is their welfare, should
| they find something I consider as adj
vantageous as your lands 1 will advise
/ them to accept, no matter where it is.
| I do not believe they will buy anything
without my approval. l will be impair
| tial and faithful to their interests.
That has been, and is my position ON
the subject
| PLEA FOR TIME
| At the same time, L still believe that
on account of their financial position
| and the high prices of lands in really
| desira BILE locations on the mainland,
your islands offer them the best they
can hope to get. Therefore, I am of
| the opinion that all of them will go
| there yet. if you have the patience and
do not force the issue. Yours very
truly,
(Signed) P. a. DEMENS.
Il had asked Captain Demens to ca
Bile me concerning the coming of the
rest of the MoIokans from Los An
geles.' said Land Commissioner Pratt,
reading this letter, which is what he
refers to here. AS to his plea not to
force the issue, I told him in my last
letter that L could not undertake to
hold any land for any particular peo-
pie for any length of time. Our lands
are in demand, as you know.
Il understand that Captain Demons
is still in correspondence with Molo-
kans in Russia who desire to find
homes in America"
Captain Demons. an ex-Russian no.
| bleman, is now in the lumber bust