The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-03-02

of other interested listeners The
House being in recess, Speaker Hol-
stein selected Rep. Single to preside,
Single introducing Governor Frear
who prefaced his remarks by an appre-
citation of Roosevelts administration,
saying that probably what would shine
most in the history of his administra-
ton was the national awakening to
the necessity of the conservation and
development of the natural resources
of the country and to this the people
were awakening as never before. real
lizing that if the present wastefulness
was not checked there would be I'M
told loss.
Iron and coal mines would in a few
years become exhausted; much was
being lost by forest fires against which
precautions must be taken; and a
wonderful progress was already being
made toward checking waste of lands
through flood and erosion, while great
minds were considering the develop
ment of inland waterways to relieve
the railroads or accommodate traffic
which could not be handled by the
railroads.
A few years ago there had been a
great gathering at which the President
was present and it resulted in his APP
pointment of commission, the Inland
Waterways Commission with a view
to affording necessary transportation
the railroads could not afford. This
commission found there were other
needs that had to be met, that there
had to be considered problems of irri-
cation, generation of power for DOM
este and commercial use; that pub
lie lands were scarce, that irrigation
works would have to be constructed;
that forests we're wasting and that
they would have to be cared for to
save the forests and to conserve water
supplies The alarm was sounded, the
nation and the States individually be-
came interested and were now cooper
ating A conference of the Governors
of States was held with the President
at the White House last May, most
impressive gathering at which were
noted minds, each Governor taking
along three conferees, and there were
scientific men there in plenty, ready
to take hold of the work. Then came
the permanent National Conservation
Commission, with State Commissions.
Frear said that he had taken with
him to the meeting at the White
House, w. o. Smih, Ralph Hosmer and
A. Gartley and he had afterward ap-
/ pointed these and Jared Smith and
w. F. Dillingham;. Last month Roose-
welt called another gathering at which
were represented the United States,
Canada and Mexico and a world con-
gress on conservation is even now un-
der consideration.
In many ways Hawaii has less Sc
rious problems than are to be found
on the mainland, no inland waterways
no mines to worry about; we need
harbors, but the Federal Government
is looking after them to a great ex-
tent, intending to have at least one
good harbor on every island of the
group. There is now in Congress a
bill for a fish hatchery here, to in
crease our fish supply; but there is
much that we must do for ourselves
and that we can do. There is need
to experiment with new varieties OF
trees; the treatment of the soil is a
big consideration. There are great
stretches of arid land good for settle
ment if water can be provided, prob
ably hundred thousand acres. Half
of the land under sugar cane had been
reclaimed by the planters by irriga-
ton. If we can get the United States
to extend the reclamation service here
we can bring 100000 acres into use
that are now useless; a photographic
survey would be the first preliminary
step. The Federal government helps
in these things when States and Ter
ritories take the initiative.
Also we need to know what to do;
this is a day of scientific farming.
We want something in that line done
here for the benefit of the small pro-
Queer, that he may do as well as has
been done by the sugar planter. A
great deal is already being done here
in agriculture and forestry experiment
and advancement and the Federal
government with its experiment sta
ton is accomplishing much.
We need to spend the least money
possible for expenses of the actual ma
chinery of this Territorial government
so as to have funds for the best de-
! velopment of the natural resources OF
the islands.
Ralph Hosmer spoke of the dry and
wet sides of the islands of this group
and how water could be brought from
the windward or wet side to the lee
ward or dry side; how much valuable
land was being washed away in places