The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-02-15

amendments provide for great sim
plicity in the administration Of the
land laws and the greater certainty
as to their meaning.
Homestead Roads.
The act providing for the construc-
ton OF homestead roads out of the
proceeds of sales for homestead pur-
poses, should be amended so as to OBJ.
viate the necessity and inconvenience
of setting aside such proceeds AS
special funds; also so as to increase
the amount available for such purpos-
es by including interest on deferred
payments and rents under right VI
purchase leases.
Aid to Homesteaders.
The Commission on advances 10
homesteaders has prepared a report
which will be submitted to you Ow-
ing to constitutional obstacles to the
loaning Of money to homesteaders,
the Commission recommends that the
same object be accomplished in part
by improving homesteads by the con-
struction of buildings, fences and wat
er pipes and tanks before the land is
sold, charging for the improvements
by increasing the price of the land
The compulsory expenditure of pub
lie money in this way under present
copditions would seem to be open to
serious objections. There can be no
assurance that the lots will be taken
after 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 To-
cation; even if the lots should be TAX
en-, and that, too, by persons to whom
the houses were satisfactory in kind
and location, there would be no GER
tainty as to what might become of
them afterwards, and, if, as often has
been the case, the lots should be
abandoned, there would be no assur-
ance that they would be taken again.
If any provision of this kind is deem.
ed desirable, its execution should be
most carefully guarded or should be
left optional with the executive Of
tcers. Any such project would re-
quire a large amount of money, and
there is little, if any, available for
such purpose. Moreover, it is a uues-
ton whether aid of that kind would
not be of demoralizing nature by
cultivating the idea of getting some.
thing for nothing and encouraging de
pendence upon the government rather
than self-reliance. Homesteader!
should be helped to help themselves
The governmnt may we'll assist IL
ways beyond individual effort, as, b,
the construction of roads, the recla
lnation Of lands by extensive irriga
tion or drainage works, the acquisi
ton and imparting of scientific know
ledge and in other ways, but the fl
nancing OF private individuals on un
certain or perishable security or II
ways involving personal relations AM
tastes, should, as rule, be left I,
private agencies.
Reclamation Of Arid Lands.
The prosperity of Hawaii depend
chiefly upon the sugar lands; half o
these, producing two-thirds of tn
crop, are arid lands reclaimed by pri
Iate enterprise under fee-simple ii
ties or long leases. There is per
haps an equal additional area Of ART
land that can be reclaimed by avail
able water, but the greater portion G
it, being public land, cannot now b
sold in large areas or leased for Ion
terms. Consequently either the Tel
ritory must reclaim them or else pre-
vision must be made by Congress fo
selling them or leasing them for lon
terms, and, of course, leases woul
be preferable to sales, for the latte
would prevent demonstrating.
IMMIGRATION.
Special Income Tax.
One of the most important econor
Ic steps ever taken for the permaI
ent welfare of these islands was tn;
of two years ago for the present IL
crease of their labor supply and ult
mate increase of their citizen pop
lation and the conservation and d
yelopment of their natural resources b
means of a special income tax, thre
fourths OF the proceeds of which a.
now devoted to immigration and on
fourth to conservation and develop
ment purposes.
With the funds thus furnished Il
Board of immigration has Introduce
S68 Portuguese, and 1870 Russian
and is now arranging for the intr
duction of more Portuguese and Spa
iords The location of these ISLAM