The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-04-15
NEWELL ON LABOR
Continued from Page Nine


whom may already have a home else
where. There is practically no private
land for sale, but there is some offered
for lease at what appear to be very
high prices.
Third. The presence of the Oriental
laborer, forming the great mass of
population, produces an artificial con-
dition of social and business life not
conducive to settlement by whites. In
the arid States of the mainland where
men take up land and make it valuable
by their own labor, every man is on
the same social plane with his neigh.
Dor and vies with him in physical as
well as mental energies expended in
daily labor. In the islands, where prac.
tieally all the physical labor is per-
formed by Orientals, the tendency is
for the white settler to endeavor to
have his work done by Orientals. He
tries to secure larger piece of land
than he could cultivate himself and to
work it by cheap labor rather than take
the small area and intelligently till it
by his personal efforts. It is not that
the climatic conditions are unfavorable
to physical exertion, but largely be-
cause it is not customary for the white
man to do work which can be perform
ed by japanese.
Another unfavorable condition grow
ing out of the presence of the Orientals
is that they are willing to pay large
rent for piece of land instead of try
ing to own it, and are content with
relatively small earnings. The white
man can not compete with them in their
own lines. His standard of living is SO
different that, although he may possess
superior intelligence, he can not profit
ably utilize the ground to the same de-
gree as his Oriental neighbor.
Fourth. The problem of transporta-
ton is one which is ever present in a
growing community. The present ia
cilities of communication between the
islands are in their way excellent and
are constantly improving. There are
also on some of the islands the begin
nings of railroads more or less encir-
cling them and bringing the products
to convenient ports. There are only
three of these, however, where steamers
can lie at a dock, namely, at Honolulu,
on Oahu, at Hilo, on Hawaii, and at
Kahului, on Maui. At all other ports
on the three islands named, and at
all points on the other islands, the prod
ucts must be lightered, usually in small
boats, resulting in considerable expense
and some uncertainty and danger in
transfer.
There are ON most of the islands ex-
celent wagon roads and others pro-
jected to reach the productive land
These roads, originally built by the
provisional government and continued
by the Territory, are now in the hands
of county officials. Some are well main
tanned, on others the funds have not
been effectively expended. The cost
of transporting products, therefore, ITO
the main lines of trade is frequently
high, but with increase of production
it is proper to expect that the facilities
will be improved and the cost notably
lowered a
Fifth. There are practically no
banks or institutions advancing money
to farmers. The sugar industry is
financed by few large agencies who
have little or no interest outside of
this particular line. The fruit raiser
or packer or the small farmer does not
have the facilities of obtaining money
possessed in most agricultural communi-
ties on the mainland. The japanese
have already appreciated this fact, and
by white assistance are starting a bank
to help their fellow countrymen finance
sugar. lanting contracts and similar
enterprises.
Home Making on the Public Lands.
The apparently obvious thing to do,
and the action proposed by every per
son when he first considers the subject,
is to cut up the public lands as soon as
the leases run out and distribute the
lands in small tracts to citizens. For
example, the Territory owns $4,000
acres of rich land now leased to the
plantations and cultivated in sugar
cane. This land has a value of from
$50 to $500 per acre, and would yield
an annual rental of IS or $40 per acre
or even more. The question is FIRE
quently asked. Why not cut up this
cane land into tracts of 4O-acre home
steads2 This seems to be a simple way
of treating the problem. 1t has, how
ever, been put to trial, without success
In general effect it has proved as ad
vantageous to the public as it would
have been to give each applicant $1,000
| to $4,000 in gold The recipient of this
gift would be greatly pleased, but the
public treasury would be depleted by
| this amount.
The giving away of this rich, highly
! cultivated land upon condition of resi-
dence upon it has resulted in the recip
lent making some indirect arrangement
| by which he virtually leases to the ad
| jacent plantation the land which ha'
been given him. Pending the time OF
| securing complete title he establishes
a nominal residence with the apparent
/, intention of selling the land as soo1
| rs he can obtain title from the govern
ment. The home has usually consisted
of the cheapest possible house or shacl
| in which human being can sleep oc
easiohally and occupying the least pos
| sible amount of land. the remainde
L a. fnI 70 I.