Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-02

would have been, and it has been a
very agreeable feature of my investi-
| cation. thank you"
So with the mutual expressions of
esteem, and the declarations of Gov
ernor Frear and Attorney Ashford
that both sides now understand each
other better than at the beginning of
! the investigation, the Secretary ended
! his hearings.
Fisher said there are hundreds Of
fan mers in the middle west who raise
their own beet crops, disputing Thur
stens assertion that it was mostly
foreign, or newly arrived labor. He
advised Thurston to pay visit to
these fields and investigate these con-
ditions on his next visit to the main
land.
Mr.. Thurston argued that the farm
ell here who grows cane or pineapples
must wait much longer for his crop
to mature than any of those on the
mainland have to wait.
He said little later, that he thought
the homestead question would not be
settled nor the Americanfzation OF the
Islands, if all the governments cane
laid, $4,000 acres were openeu to
American homesteaders. -... -
Mr. Fisher insisted that some funda-
mental problem confronts the Island
homesteader as the American farmer
in the, States.
Mr.. Thurston latter made state
ment of the attempt to create a Ha.
waiian Growers Association, SAID he
believed growers here should have
some governmental assistance, or at
least the help of a strong financial as
ISOLATION II thought the system In
vogue in New Zealand and Australia
should be tried. That system Is gov
ernmental control of the markets and
responsibility for handling the grow
ers' crops. r..
u He outlined system of somewhat
the same character that he thought
might5be used. The trougle h organ.
izing h association such as the fruit
grave s. association of California lies
il til heterogeneous population and
mixed nationality of the farmers.
Asf d what he thought of the ap-
point ent of local public utilities
comI lssion, Mr.. Thurston said he
thought that if it were to be chosen
by appointment by the Governor and
approval of the Senate, he would say
it would be a good thing, but if the
members were to be elected would
prove disastrous to the county.
Views on demonstrating.
Asked to give his views on home
stealing, Mr.. Thurston launched into
a discussion of the general tubject.
Lack of transportation, MARKET and
encouragement from the people, in the
country initiate against o1estead-
ing, he asserted He enlarged on each
of these, explaining that the local
market will not take any kind bf crops
in quantities that will warrant rails
ing them in sufficient quantities. In
this respect he referred to fluit, veg
etables, etc, not to sugar or pineap-
pies, which require large capital in
vested by the grower.
He told of one man in the Islands
who raised some corn. The Srower
had told him that it cost him more
to transport his corn from the land
to the landing, where it was . be
taken by ships, than California corn
would have cost him, laid dowl to
him from that same landing, after
carrying it all the way from the Coast.
Secretary Fisher called to his atIen-
ton the comparative cost of the first
two years work in the irrigated bet
fields on. the mainland, and said he
could not see much difference te
tween the two situations.
The United Fruit Co., through Mel
leo, supplies the Pacific Coast banant
market. he said The Hawaiian
growth is rot encouraged much, be-
cause the shipments are so infre-
Tuent.
In this respect. he declared, he has
been a strong advocate of permitting
foreign vessels to carry passengers
between the Islands and the mainland,
and to a certain extent, though it
should be the same for freight.
He said one Of the pecularities Of
the situation here is that the very
nature of things will not permit man
to take a homestead on small capital
and get quick cash return, as in the
States.
He told of the formation of the co
partnership idea on Maui. resulting i'll
the passage of the law and the ap-
pearance then of the Maui AGriCul-
tural Company. He stated. in de
Tense Of the statute. that the com
panies would eventually have amalga
mated ANYHOW.
Attorney tfemcnWay. called upon,
then explained the details of how the