The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-23

made by Mr.. Newell last autumn, by
direction of the then Secretary of the
Interior, Hon. James R. Garfield. It is
emphatic evidence of the value of get
ting influential government officials to
visit the islands. Mr.. Newell was de-.
tailed to come here almost Immediately
on Secretary Garfield s return.
Parenthetically, let me here urge all
those who have not yet read Mr..
Newell S report to lose no time in get
ting copy and becoming familiar with
it. The Promotion Committee has it for
distribution. Copies may be had free
upon application.
Regarding the work now actually
under way Mr.. Mendenhall will speak
TO you in detail of the Investigations
that Mr.. Leighton and he have in hand.
Enough for me to say that the work
started by them is the beginning of one
of the most important steps toward the
reclamation through irrigation of con
siderable areas of semi-arid land
throughout the Territory. Without
water these lands are of comparatively
low value. With water they will not
only become highly productive but
rightly handled can be made the basis
for American homes. And this is the
ultimate object-the goal toward which
all conservation work both here and
on the mainland is directed-the making
possible of homes for the people.
1t has so often been said that what
Hawaii needs is more American settlers
that the statement tends to become trite
through repetition But it is none the
less true Because of the very fact of
its isolated geographic position there
are put upon this Territory by the ma
ton certain duties. These can most
efficiently be performed only when
there is present in Hawaii a vigorous,
self-reliant American community, of
sufficient numerical size to control the
local situation. From the standpoints
of military necessity, commercial de-
velopment and social betterment it is
alike essential that there be an increase
in Hawaii in the number of American
homes.
+ There is no possible question of the
desirability of getting such people but
the mere desire for settlers does not
put them ON the land. Many attempts
to get permanent settlers have been
made in the past with varying degrees
VI SQCCtbS. bdSCu I2ttN OA tuE uuu-
ings of Mr. Newell and the recommen-
1 dations in his report, it now appears
that perhaps the most practicable way
to bring about conditions that would
make it possible to attract and secure
the sort of home makers we need, is
through the extension to Hawaii of the
benefits of the Federal Reclamation Act.
Under this law it appears possible to
10; 10 op n
public land on each of the larger
islands, through irrigation. The Terri
tory has already gone nearly to the linn
it of its resources IN its attempts to
/ develop the islands along traditional
American lines. The burden of tax
alton has now almost reached the
breaking point. The reclamation of the
semi-arid lands is too big and expen-
sive task for this community to tackle
I alone. The time has come when aid
must be sought from some outside
source. A practicable solution is pre-
sented in the extension to Hawaii of
the Federal Reclamation Act of June
II, 1902. The Investigations now under
way mark the path for further adj
vanees. Therefore it should be the
pleasure of all large minded citizens as
help on movement that means so much
for the future of Hawaii.
The Reclamation Act provides for a
revolving fund-started, originally, by
receipts from the sale of public lands,
whereby aSeas of potentially arabic
land throughout the West may be re-
claimed through irrigation and trans
formed into home supporting farms. It's
operation is limited to the States and
Territories west of the 99th meridian,
but including Texas, to which State the
SReelama ton Act was extended by spe-
eial act of Congress three years ago,
AS full f1edged Territory, having con-
siderable areas of irrigable public land,
it is the claim of Hawaii that she is
Justly to be considered an "irrigation
state'' and consequently entitled TO the
benefits of the Reclamation Act
To secure the extension of this law
to Hawaii requires an act of Congress.
Favorable action by Congress in any
given measure is usually the result of
strong and aggressive support. In a
project like this little can be hoped
for without the assistance of friends on
the mainland Especially desirable is
the endorsement of great popular asso-
Citations, for often the real wishes of
the people are best expressed in this
way. This is particularly true of the
National Irrigation Congress, whose rec
concentrations carry great weight in all