The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-04-24


in regard to the present system, and
to quote the recommendation Of the
Land Advisory Commission, in its re-
port on page 5, it says: That the
method of sale under right of purchase
lease ard cash freehold be utilized
to only a very limited extent, and then
only under conditions where it's provi-
sions can not be abused And then,
referring to the settlement association
provision, it said: This has not full
filled its purpose, but has been the
method by which the greatest abuses
have been practised.'
In the second preamble of the reso-
luton it is there stated that the home
stead lease is obnoxious to every
American citizen and resented by Ha-
waiians, who are entitled to equal
rights with all other citizens. That
may be as far as American citizens
are concerned. but why should Ha-
waiians resent it? In your commit
tees opinion, HaWaiians of some in
telligence should resent it, but the
majority of the Hawaiian people
should welcome method of acquir-
ing land, it being the easiest, safest
and cheapest to them generally. Lands
so acquired will be theirs and their
posterity's for, say, one thousand years,
a sure home to them for all time and
which is not subject to assignment,
attachment, levy or sale upon execu-
ton and is entirely free from any
process in bankruptcy or otherwise.
Your committee is very optimistic in
this regard and undertakes to speak
for those Hawaiians who are not as
intelligent (this is used advisedly) and
are incapable of maintaining them
selves sufficiently up to the present
day standard, that this method should
be made more of by the government
than is the case at present, -particu-
larly in the outer island localities, and
that sufficient interest should be
shown to their would-be leaders and
friends to urge this system upon
them.
still there is yet one other method
not mentioned by the resolution,
which is of the policy recently enun-
,ciated by the Governor of this Ter
ritory and known as the special agree
ment of sale, under Section 276, Part
4, of our present land laws (Revised
Laws of Hawai). The first sale
under this system occurred during the
early part of last November and is
claimed to have been very successful
in so far as the government was con-
eerned the sale in question being the
first of the present administration OF
Territorial affairs, many others hav-
ing followed in its wake, with others
against 1t, it is yet to be proven that
it is inefficient, but so far as at pres
emit known the system has been found
to be very liberal in it's terms and
and is the most advan-
tageous, as far as made known TO
your committee, to the man of small |
means to acquire a homestead, upon
which he may till, and, if need be,
earn a livelihood for himself and fam
lily and otherwise maintain his home. |
Your committee is informed that it is
yet the best method advanced of any
on our statutes and would suggest
The resolution and bill was read,
section by section, in. the committee OF
the whole, in accordance with the rec
of the committee.
Senator Mccarthy said that he did
not stand sponsor for the measure,
stating that it had been handed to him
to introduce.
"With what little knowledge [ have |
of the land question: said Senator
cit seems to me that this
bill was drawn up by the associated or
der of land barons.
Senator Smith said that he did not |
it to the best interests of the
should be Endorsed. He quoted the pro-
visions of the measure providing that
g all public lands shall be set aside for
homestead purposes" and showed that
such provision was altogether too
sweeping and could be subject to an
that would work hard
ship upon the people of the whole Ter
ritory.
President Smith said that he was
opposed to the whole intent of the bill.
He stated that the main object of the
Organic Act was to allow the Territory
of Hawaii to continue under its pre-
vious form of government. He quoted
the statement of Secretary Garfield thai
the land laws of the United States
were not adapted to Hawaii. Senator
Smith showed that the intention of the
bill was to place the full control of
the land of the Territory in the hands
of the Department of the Interior DIT
Washington.
"Any bill that will place the con
troll of our lands in the Department of
the Interior is something we should
never consent to- declared Senator
Smith.
He dwelt on the troubles and OBJ
stacles of the other Territories in the
of land matters when the
Department of the Interior exercise
control. He said that he agreed with
a more progressive policy in land mat
tiers but insisted that the greatest diff
feulty in the land question was to
secure the right kind of settlers and
provide sufficient indueement in the way
of reasonable expectation of disposing
of their products.
Senator Mccarthy said that he was
disappointed with some of the pro-
visions of the bill. He moved that the
resolution be laid on the table to be
considered with the resolution on the
sinh ipef which infrnduead in the