The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-05-21

work of various kinds for the planta-
tons This enterprise viii fulfil two
objects, supply of labor and sub
element of the population of the coun-
try, a class noted for thrift, economy
and law-abiding tendencies, whose
capacity for citizenship increases with
each generation. Allowing to this en-
terprise all the advantages which the
most sanguine may claim for it, it is
yet evident that the work of recruit
ing citizens for Hawaii should go
farther. The cosmopolitan character of
the population of the Territory is well
known. Large numbers of japanese,
a smaller number of Chinese, Koreans,
the Portuguese referred to, the Ha-
waiians and part-Hawaiians, and seat
tering representatives of other races
and the comparatively small number
of persons who are of Anglo-Saxon de-
scent, make a showing which only needs
to be studied to produce a strong con-
viction that in order to develop a
improving in those characteristics
which are recognized as the highest
attributes of American citizenship, it
is essential that the class referred to
as Anglo-Saxon should be largely in
creased, and particularly that it should
be increased by the introduction of
persons from the mainland who have
acquired by long residence and par
ticularly by inheritance and position
the qualities of citizenship above re-
ferred to.
AS yet but little has been done in
the way of introducing Americans
from the mainland to these islands.
Although the preparation of the Act
of 1895 was distinctly made with that
object in view, together with the gen
eral purpose of furnishing small farms
to such inhabitants of the Territory
as were landless and desired them,
there were obstacles At first, the
small amount of available public lands
not subject to leases, and always the
want of suitable roads connecting 9th
erwise suitable lands with the main
public roads; the difficulty also of or
ganizing system of inducing such
migration has doubtless led to delay
and to the easier alternative of dis
posing of such lands to persons already
in the islands.
About seven years ago there was a
demand for a small piece of public
land on the Island of Oahu, known as
Wahiawa, of an area of about 1400
acres, by persons from Southern Cali
fornia, one of whom investigated the
ground and organized colony for it's
settlement. This was accomplished
under the provision of law known as a
Settlement Association, by which a
number of individuals, over six, may
apply for holdings in one locality with
out competition from others This
provision is particularly convenient and
even necessary as a scheme of induc-
ing immigration from the mainland,
because otherwise the absent appli-
cants for land would have no guaran-
tee of performance, but would be in
competition with per-
sons resident in the Islands. Some
fourteen persons, most of them with
families. took up this section as a set
tiement association under the right of
purchase system. The land was ap-
praised at five dollars per acre or less.
and the colonists proceeded to build
houses and improve their holdings and
to live thereon. This land was re-
garded by those acquainted with the
lands of the Island of Oahu as inferior.
The colonists experimental with diff
ferent kinds of fruits and vegetables.
and struggled along or several years
without finding anything that was es-
pecialiy profitable as a standard crop.
At length they experimental with pine
apples, and these were found to grow
luxuriantly and to produce heavily.
They had a small market in Honolulu
and large market on the Pacific
Coast. Canning factories We're at
length set up, and these colonists began