Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-02-15


proving homesteads by the construc-
ton of buildings, fences and water
pipes and tanks before the land is
sold. charging for the improvements
by increasing the price of the land.
The compulsory expenditure of public
money in this way under present con-
ditions would seem to be open to Sc
rious objections. There can be no as
surance that the lots will be taken af-
ter the improvements are made; nor
can it be known who will take them
or therefore, what kind of a house will
be desired or in what location; even
if the lots should be taken and that,
too by persons to whom the houses
were satisfactory in kind and loca-
ton, there would be no certainty as
to what might become of them after
wards, and, if, as often has been the
case, the lots should be abandoned,
there would be no assurance that they
would be taken again. If any proyi-
sion of this kind is deemed desirable.
it's execution should be most carefully
guarded or should be left optional
with the executive officers. Any such
project would require a large amount
of money and there is little, if any.
dNulldDlc lOl EuNh pun ppot' 4'''N
er, it is a question whether aid of that
kind would not be of demoralizing
nature by, cultivating the idea of get
ting something for nothing and en-
couraging dependence upon the gov
eminent, rather than self-reliance.
Homesteaders should be helped to help
themselves. The government may well
assist in ways beyond individual ef-
l,y +l,n trIIa n
the reclamation of lands by extensive
irrigation or drainage works the &C
QUESTION and imparting of scientific
knowledge and in other ways, but the
financing of private individuals on I'M
certain or perishable security or in
ways involving personal relations and
tastes, should as rule, be left. to pri-
yate agencies.
Reclamation of Arid Lands.
The prosperity of Hawaii depends
chiefly upon the sugar lands; half of
these, producing two-thirds of the
crop, are arid lands reclaimed by pTi-
vate enterprise under fee-simple titles
or long leases. There is perhaps an
equal additional area of arid land that
can be reclaimed by available water,
but the greater portion of it, being
public land, cannot now be sold in
large areas or leased for long terms.
Consequently either the Territory
must reclaim them or else provision
must be made by Congress for selling
them or leasing them for long terms,
and, of course, leases would be pref
cradle to sales, for the latter would
prevent hOmesteading. Lands thus
leased would have to be subject to
demonstrating, whether reclaimed by
the Territory or by private interests.
1t would be both necessary and just
that the homesteaders should be
obliged to pay for their proportion of
the water, whether used or not, as Us
the case with reclaimed lands on the
mainland; for, they would obtain cor
respondingly increased values, and
otherwise the necessarily large eXpen-
ditures for reclamation would not be
justified. / suggest the ACCESSIBILITY of
an expression of opinion by the Leg
islature in the form of resolution up
on this subject. Such Congressional
action could be in the form of gen
eral law applicable to all cases or
special law for each project.
IMMIGRATION
Special Income Tax. One of the
most important economic steps ever
taken for the permanent welfare of
these islands was that of two years
ago for the present increase of their
labor supply and ultimate increase of
their citizen population and the con-
Servation and development of their
natural resources, by means of spe-
cial income tax, three-fourths of the
proceeds of which are devoted to i'm
migration and one-fourth to conserva-
ton and development purposes.
With the funds thus furnished the
Board of immigration has introduced
SOS Portuguese and 1,790 Russians,
and is now arranging for the introduce
tion of iiiibre Portuguese and Span
iards."j'The location of these islands
is such dhat it is both difficult and eX-
ponsive to obtain persons eligible to
citizenship in sufficient numbers, but
the necessity of it can scarcely be
over-estifnated. Unless earnest eff
forts are dcontinued in this direction
either the Territory must remain UNI
der populated and consequently be re-
tarded in its progress, or else 1t must
have its population increased mainly
by less desirable immigrants, to its So
Cldl anu moral uclTllIcHJ. me law
providing for the special income tax
expires by its own terms at the close
of the present calendar year 1t shoutd
without question be extended.
Department of immigration,
Labor and Statistics.
At the same time the law creating
the Board of Immigration and defining
its powers and duties, should be
amended TO meet new conditions. Past
experience has shown the necessity of
new methods for conducting immigra-
ton and securing its desired results,
and the Board has already made i'm
portant moves in these directions.
Greater care must be exercised in the
selection of immigrants in their home
countries with view TO obtaining on
/ ly those who are sound, physically and
z morally, and for the most part those
who are agriculturalists. Methods
should be found, if possible, for bring
ing them here in smaller and steadier
streams, and so that they may come
upon their own resources as far as
possible. What is of even greater i'm
portance, more attention should be
paid to them after their arrival, with
a view to keeping them here by max
ing the conditions of their residence
and employment satisfactory to them
The powers of the Board may we'll be
added to, not alone for these purposes
liz, l,,t q.