The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-03-15

GEAR'S SENSATIONAL
TALK.
CONTINUED From Page One. }

of success of the plantation the lack
of water?" asked Rawlins.
NO said Gear, there was always
plenty of water there for the cane
I never heard of the water getting
brackish. Just after the Chinese had
been burned out I visited our manager
and his advice was to save the planta-
ton if possible as the chances of sue
cess We're great. They had quite a
difficulty in getting wood, that was
ALL
My personal opinion regarding the
Lanai exchange, considering that peo-
ole are leaving On almost every
steamer and none coming in to take
their place, is that the government
1 ought to open all the land possible for
settlers. The island of Lanai, if plant
and opened up, would be very desir-
able for settlers. I believe that the
same policy should be employed all
| over the Islands, that as soon as the
leases expire on the plantations, the
land ought to be given to settlers that
We may build up a prosperous class
Of citizens and not have the large
holdings now held. I believe the gov
eminent would be justified in conden-
ming and opening up the large tracts
now privately held for this country
will never be prosperous until we have
substantial middle-class Of land
owners
Rawlins asked Mr.. Gear what he
thought the government should do In
a case like the Olaa coffee lands,
which had been absorbed by the Olaa
plantation.
The witness said that as he was one
of the owners of these lands he could
explain that the land had been sold,
or an option on it, to DR.. Nichols, who
stated that he was going to float
coffee plantation, but who had turned
the options over to Mr.. Dillingham;
for cane
gravitating into the hands of a few.
My personal opinion is that there will
be no solution until the price of sugar
goes so low as to force the plantations
out of existence. When that time
comes there will be very hard times
here at first, but diversified industries
will restore prosperity. AS long as
sugar remains as it is the plantations
will control the situation and we will
only have the sugar plantation owners
and the serfs.
IF we had large population,
enough to take the products of our
soil, small industries could live But
we have none and until the planta
ton owners are forced to bring in
many European laborers / see no prac-
teal solution of the question
Rawlins took for granted that the
land had been cut up into small hold
ings. What suggestion could be made
to prevent the sale of these to large
owners when a profit could be made?
There is no possible way to prevent
it, said Gear. There is no way ex-
cept to get in enough population to
support other industries than sugar.
I think the Legislature ought to APP
largely for the Board of I'M
migration, set them on their feet and
allow them to work to get in popu1a-
ton. At the present time they have
not enough money to even keep an Of
flee open.
Another thing is to get control of
all the water supply. With this in
their hands the government could con-
troll the situation.
F. J. Tesla was next sworn in and
settled into chair. He said he had |
visited Lanai thirty years ago, where
he had visited the other side, over the |
hill. Then he had cultivated potatoes,
cane, bananas and vegeta bles, depend |
ing upon rainfall. TIE soil was very
fertile. There was no trouble in rails |
ing it. He had seen corn, kohlrabi |
ami Irish potatoes grown there for the
Honolulu market. The potatoes were |
as good as those from New Zealand. |
Some of the best watermelons in the |
country We're grown there. Witness |
had lived there off and on, sometimes |
for two or three months at stretch. |
Lanai is capable Of producing good |
farm products.
l.. L. McCandless said that he had |
been congratulated by at least two |
thousand men on the stand he had |
taken in the matter. This remark |
was made after the committee had |
risen.
The committee will leave for Lanai |
on the steamer Claudine on Friday |
next, transferring to the Iwalani at |
Lahaina. The members will leave La
mai. to return, at noon on Sunday, ar
irving in Honolulu on Monday morn
ing. The steamer Kinau will sail for
Kalaupapa on Saturday night, the |
committee to be picked up on Sunday
night by the same steamer, which will |
have zone to Lanai after that COM
mittee.
After their return the committee will |