The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-12-05
BAKER, ARTICLE
on HAWAII HURTS
With Basis Of Truth Socialist
Author Gives Wrong
Impression.
CFrOm Sundays Advortiser.)


Tho second installmcnt Of Ray Stan.
nard Bakers article on wonderful
Hawaii" which appeared in copies OF
tho American Magazine received here
on Friday, contains numerous state.
ments and conclusions which, It is said,
may call for an answer from Honolulu.
The article was general subject Of
discussion on Friday and yesterday,
and il Is regarded as one placing Ia
wall IN the line of frc of the so-called
muck-rakers in manner that may
result in considerable damage to the
community.
Governor Frear, when asked yester-
day regarding his views Of the Baker
articles, said that he had not yet read
the second one all through. He had
read some extracts and had read the
first article of the series, and he ex-
pressed the opinion that Mr.. Baker had
not spent enough time here to study
some of the propositions discussed in
the articles in question.
''The articles as far as l have read
them gave me the impression that Mr..
Baker sincerely tried to get the truth, -
said the Governor, while at the same
time stating that Mr.. Baker did not
seem to have got everything quite
right. "Some legislative matters tax
en- up, for example, were not conclud-
ed during the time Mr.. Baker was
here, and possibly if he had waited to
see what was finally done, his com
ment might have been different"
The Governor was asked il he would
care to make an expression Of views
and policies which might be consider
ed as in manner answering some of
the Baker conclusions. He said that
he had not thought of doing so, and
didn't think he would care to take
the matter up--he hadn Y read the last
article anyhow.
Perhaps" he said, "some here
might take the matter up.' The Gov
ernor was disposed to think that If
Baker had stayed here longer, he would
have written somewhat differently, and
also that his political convictions be.
fore he came here at all, had much to
do with what he wrote about Hawaii.
Baker Socialist.
Baker is one of the group of brill
liant writers who have recently taken
a strong socialistic tendency, and he
came to Hawaii with the opinions gath
cred and used in the series of articles
which he and others have recently pub
lished in leading mainland magazines.
Many of those who discussed the Baker
articles here yesterday seemed to feel
that his opinions had influenced his
<,fT T.4. IN n
siderable extent.
Governor Frear didn't respond af-
frmatively to request that he indi-
rectly answer some of Bakers utter
ances by statement of the facts, and
of administrative policies, He thought
that anything in the Baker articles not
just to Hawaii might be due to the
shortness of the author Is stay here, and
to the point of view he had when he
came, as necessary result of his politi-
cal opinions.
Baker Hurting Hawaii.
Next to the tremendous sensation
caused by the news of the confession
of the Los Angeles dynamiters, the
Baker articles were the topic of local
discussion yesterday. 1t appeared to be
the impression of many that the writ
ings in question were likely to do the
Territory much harm. The wide circu
lation of the magazine in which they
are being published and the fame of
the author, win make them command
attention.
''The article will be used" said a
local politician, ''in the Kuhio cam
paign against Frear. They constitute
lot of statements which seem to show
that the Territorial administration is
not doing anything to Americanize the
Islands, and is, as Kuhlo has cahrged,
Juggling with the land question for the
benefit of the planting interests.
eff Kuhio carries on his fight, these
articles will doubtless be filed with the
secretary Of the interior, or in congress.
HAWAII could show in answer that the
conditions of even the lowest Taborers
here are vastly superior to those in
great centers Of industry on the main
land. Mr.. Baker admits the tremendous
proportion of local incomes spent for
charity. We can also show sums spent,
which no other place can match, for
the very purpose Mr.. Baker seems to
think is lagging,-that of getting a
citizen population of the best possible
character"