The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-07-13
SUGAR OUR
ONE SUPPORT.

aNN ff"Ri'ttAH AAA'NlAiia iN' AAfifui-
tufai lands OF Hawaii la comparison
with the standards 81 America were
dealt with last night In lengthy pai
per read before the Hawaiian Epf
gineering Association by l.. +. Pink
ham.
Mr, Pinkham devoted the first part
Of his address to tracing the rise OF the
American farmer from the man with
the hoe" To the man with machinery"
the result or applied science. agricul-
tural economies and transportation.
The American farmer Is rich and in
dependent beyond any division OF men
OF physical activity In the world.
The fixed land laws OF the govern
ment aud the land policies OF the rail-
roads We're praised. The Immigrant
knew exactly what he was to get and
where he could get II. not having to
wait for land policy to be adopted
surveys to be made. or hating officials
to make up their minds
The American pol cy only restricts the
acquiring OF land by foreign non-resi-
dents. The American farmer stands on
his rights to do as he chooses with. or
to dispose Of. as he will. his lands. He
stands or falls on his own ability. and
not on Government regulation or dicta-
ton. To change from this American
land policy TO paternal land policy is
not American. II a man IS fit for
American citizenship he is fit to exer-
else Independence in his private affairs.
When a government chooses to part
ownership of any OF its lands It should
let go the apron strings and let her
citizens become independent men and
not wards. We, in Hawaii, must come
TO this or there can be no development
on American lines.
AGRICULTURE IN HAWAII
No place I'm the world has agricul-
tural operations that can approach
either In daring. cost OF plant. or re-
suit. those OF Hawaii. Eighty per cent
OF the arabic land requires irrigation.
and in 1905 the value OF the sugar pro-
duction was 9S per cent of the total
value of our products, showing that
the support for the population and the
government rests on the sugar indus
try.
OF the total of 56s.0O0 arabic acres
1919. 400 were planted I'm cane. requiring
the operation OF ZIG miles of railroad
representing an investment of $9i. $780,
6l729. All this that 95,443 acres might
be cropped I'm 1905.
In the installation OF irrigation sys-
TENS and their operation there is in
vested $50 sos, S93.49
From this can anyone claim that the
agriculture of Hawaii is not the most
costly I'm installation and intensive I'm
operation of any existing or Historically
recorded?
In 1898 many sugar plantation
schemes were foated and speculation
In the stocks was rushed into, result
ing in disastrous effects, now running
through the life of the Territory. the
end Of which has not yet been reached.
OF the fifty-three plantations. TWEEN
ty-three have been very profitable.
seven have been so at times, seven
have never paid a dividend and four
teen have had occasional prosperity.
This VIII dispose Of the idea that sugar
IL always enormously profitable and
Will stand an indefinite amount of pollt-
ical and economic experimenting and
exploiting.
II Is the fairy tales spread every
where, particularly In Washington.
that have created belief as to the Ha-
wailan sugar industry to the everlast-
Ing embarrassment OF this Territory.
The Territorial government does moi
as extensively as imagined control the
land situation as regards plantations.
On Kauai Oahu and Maui the proper
ton government controlled Is small,
and cannot be the determining factor
In establishing the agricultural popula-
ton.
As leases expire. the plantations, hav-
Ing brought these lands to high Guilt
walton and their Investments still being
necessary to preserve its productive
ness, have an equity that cannot Just
~ be ignored nor unduly taken advan-
tage OF. Neither can the plantations
be subject to Ignorance Indifference
nor erratic agricultural projects, nor to
schemes TO acquire title to lands by
those who do not intend to personally
cultivate them but aim TO make the
plantations finance them and practical
ly work the land and pay tribute to
proprietors whose responsibility Is only
nominal
The relief for the sugar planters lies
In the adaptation Of machinery in their
GNnAl Al NM ~