Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-21
EDITOR

highest hopes for ultimate success. But Mr..
Fishers series Of hearings and his first 'field
trip made to Kauai, have so far brought out
little evidence that lands of sufficient acreage TOT
support independent homesteading have been
opened up under conditions where the settler can
live by his own efforts on his own soil.
The investigation has shown that most if not
Ill of the homesteaders have been placed in the
situation of depending on plantations or mills
for their markets, and that these larger inter
ests have nearly always been able to fix the terms
IN which they would take produce from the small
grower. ..> ..-
The STARBUILETIN has neither patience with
nOr respect for the wild assertions of a conspir-
ICY among the sugar interests to block a broad
iomesteading system, nor has this paper any be-
ief in the story doubtless retailed to Mr.. Fisher
hat the independent American farmers is not
wanted in this territory. We believe that the
plantations as a rule have been administered
with an unusual degree of justice, but naturally
from the standpoint of the plantation and not of
the homesteader. In other words, during the
many years of bitter struggle to put sugar in
Hawaii on it's feet, and the few years when it has
been very profitable industry, the plantation
interests have been absorbed in their problems
Of finance and development, and have paid little
attention to the small grower unless he contrib
uted to their output.
Now the situation in Hawaii is not at all the
situation on the mainland. The homesteader
here needs more than piece of ground and al
tree hand. He needs generous aid to help him
man the land. Tt has been quite conclusiyelyl
shown during the hearings before Mr. Fisher
that the homesteader here ought to have money
Ito buy animals, seed and other necessary ele-
nents of production; to clear the ground; tol
carry him through the period of years when he
is getting no returns for his investment. And
it is just this kind of aid that has been hard to
get without tying up the small planters indie
pendence in the future The small cane-planter,
the small farmer in whatever line, on govern
ment lands, has had to succeed in spite OF the
conditions, rather than succeeding because OF
them He has had negative instead of positiyel
if the distinction may be made
Secretary Fishers visit has only FASTENED the
changes in these conditions for that changes are
coming there can be no doubt They have been
developing from the growing consciousness of
the average citizen of Hawaii that affirmative
aid must be given the small farmer, coupled with
a realization on the part of the sugar interests
that such aid will benefit Hawaii in the long run
But Fishers visit will stimulate these changes
And it doesn't mean any revolution, any up
heayal It means only the working out of some
plan to foster demonstrating earnestly, instead OF
indifferently letting demonstrating exist
The situation is one to be faced with a clear
understanding that Hawaii cannot stand still inl
the relations of its great industry to its lesser
industries The great industry must treat with
the lesser industries on terms of even more than
business fairness for the physical and industrial
conditions here mean that for time at least the
homesteader needs more than ordinary encour
agement- ".