The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-01

which
Il TO many OF us suggests only few little dots
on the geography map of the Pacific Ocean. but
which military and naval authorities declare "sec-
ond in Importance to no other single spot on the
earths surface The explanation of this is the
supreme isolation OF the group-away out in tho
middle of the Pacific. with no other point between
the far coast of America lover 1000 miles away
and the further coast OF Asia lover 3, 900 miles
away at which the thousands who go down to
the sea In ships can get coal. food water
1.-The Most Important Point ON Earth"
Hence the tremendous Importance of the con-
troll of the islands by the United States No great
batteship coal at sea- nor can any battleship
leaving an Asiatic port carry enough coal to last
IL across the Pacific to our American coast and
back home again. So long as America holds Ha-
vail. therefore just SO long is 1t impossible for
any Asiaiic power successfully to attack Califor-
MIA. Oregon. or Washington. For this reason the
Hawaiian group with 1000 square miles and 2OO-
600 people are worth immeasurably more to the
United States than the Philippines with over 1907
600 square miles and about 5000. 900 people.
Hawaii Coveted by Japan.
Japan. indisputably anxious to become the
island mistress OF the Pacific as England is the
island mistress of the Atlantic. undoubtedly looks
with longing eyes upon Hawaii. and a most serious
menace TO American welfare is the fact that Jap
anese by the thousands have come over to work
three times as many laps as white people. Worse
yet. children of Japanese parents born In Hawaii
become citizens and voters. that ultimately
they would become the most powerful political
factor. Something must be done TO remedy this
situation. and doubtless will be very soon for al
most everyone | have talked with realizes its
gravity.
How the Native Race Has Disappeared.
The present population consists of about 700
600 Portuguese. and $4,000 native Hawaiians and
half-brceds History probably has no record OF
the swifier disappearance of any race than that
OF these native Hawaiians. At the beginning of
the last century II Is estimated that there were
100000 of these full-bloods: forty years later
only 100000. and now only about $4,000. Only
this afternoon talked with an honored resident
who said that only twenty-five years ago he knew
communities OF the natives of splendid type. but
that even In score of years they have almost
utterly degenerated. Whiskey Is said to be a
principal of their dying out. while diseases.
due to vice and immortality have been perhaps
even more largely responsible. There is no bet
ter index 10 character OF a people than its Ian
guage. and IL lis equally significant that while the
old Chinese had no word TO express patriotism,
the native Hawaians had word to express
thanks, chastity gratitude or the weather.
How Hawaii Swcetens the Earth
The great industry of the islands of course.
~ now, as IL mas been for seventy years, sugar
culture. The sugar Jumps with which you sweet
ened your coffee this morning. the sugar used by
your wife In baking her last cake may have come
from some plantation within easy reach of Hon
olulu. OF the $42 900, 900 worth of Hawaiian
exports $Ss. 1000. 900 according to my latest fg-
ures) represents raw sugar-the products Of sixty
great estates comprising 213. 900 of land and
employing Al, 900 men, or $50 men to the planta-
ton.
This statement will naturally suggest to my
readers the great cotton plantations OF the Lowe.
South, and / going TO point out some other