Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-14


The third proposition is. that II
lands there should be made reserva-
tions in these cane lands for rights
of-way for bitches. IL you leave tliaa
power in the government IL viii
avoid Eminent Domain PROCEEDINGS,
as this would provide that the Gov.
eminent could go upon that land al
any time and take q irightof-w9y, IN
my opinion you cannot have home.
stealing Of cane lands without the
cooperation OF the plant afiohs that
is, the government ON one hand; the
homesteader on the other, ana the
plantation on the other; ana you
should deal just as fair with the plan
tation as with the homesteader The
way to do that is for the government
to reserve in any lease those rights
iof-way. presume that has been done
in this administration but probably
I'm times gone by It has not been
done. II the government retains that
right it does away with the idea Of
eminent domain proceedings 1T any
time!
i In the last proposition comes the
question of advances to homestead
ers. / think that the banks Of tks
community, those that have natural
interests here, desire to assists the
advances to honIest6Aders. With re-
strictions on alienation, and with too
rigid restrictions upon the use &c the
land, it takes that beyond the realm
OF the private institution. For ir-
stance, under the restrictions st pres
ent, If q party loans money to 3 home
steader he has to depend entirely
upon the crop. A homesteader. IN
order to get title to his land, has 70
live up 10 all the requirements Of the
law appertaining to honesteals; ana
II he should throw up the lease, then
the time which he has been there
does not count at all. And the party
who loans the moneys must get an
other man to take that mans place,
or else he win be out the money
loaned.
think that situation IL generally
recognized here. The Legislature be-
fore the last appointed . commission
to look into this, and I befieve the
commission reported against the gov
eminent making advances To the
Homesteadef direct. although the
change in the Organic Act made Il
necessary that the government make
advances to the homesfeader The
institution that | am connected with
has loaned money In some consider
able amounts. The other proposition
Is that OF financial. people generally
loanfng money on these homestead
agreements, which has been done To
a Certain limited extent 1t has been
done on the. Island of Maui Some
branch banks on some Of the other
islands do make these advances, but
as a general proposition II it comes.
to large amounts and q large number
Of people either, | don't believe 1t
offers an attractive proposition to the
banks.
Fisher; Taking this last point
first: How important do you regard
it that the lands Of this Territory
that now belong to- the government
should not pass into corporate or
large holdings?
Lewis: Well, ] believe that con-
sistent effort ought to be made here
TO homestead the land; but do not
believe in an experiment that is go
ing to result. in an evolution of an
established theory. But / think we
should keep hannmering away on It
until we solve t. And | think most
people Of the Territory are trying to
solve the matter. =
Fisher: II We can see that the fail
ure to put certain restrictions on the
people then ought we to make an ex-
pertinent of that kind?
Lewis: No, | don't think you
should.
Fisher: What do you think about
it. frankly?
Lewiss Well, if taking off the re-
strictions in opening lands to home
steaders would put the land into the
hands of few people or corporate
ownership, / don't think the restrie-
tons should be taken off. Ent I
think there should be less stringent
restrictions after the honesteader
gets his patent. > ~ ra.Es
Fisher Well, If those restrictions
we're taken off, sooner or later. that
would be the result-the majority of
the lands would pass into the hands
of corporations or into the hands of a
few large interests. In the States
they do not allow corporations to own
real estate at ALL There are certain
restrictions here as to the amount of
land that a corporation shall own. Do
you think, without these restrictions
that it would be very long before the
better lands. in this Territory would
be in the hands of corporate owner
ship or very few large owners?