The Garden Island. [volume] (Lihue, Kauai, H.T.) 1902-current, 1913-02-18
LAND LAW QUESTION

OIJGll iOi DuSllCoS hllu lUC hdudl
representatives and senators are
fully aware of the needs of Kauai
and the people can rest assured
that the legislators will redeem
every campaign pledge made to
the voters. However, there is one
question to which we would most
respectfully call the attention of
the members of the legislature and
that is no less all important one
than the present homestead law.
Conditions are such as to make it
necessary for the Legislators at this
session to take firm stand either
against o in favor of the present
land policy. In other words to
show exactly where they stand.
The public will not be satisfied
with, nor tolerate any on the
fence" attitude.
All those desirous of homestead
ing should unite in an application
for land under the prevailing laws.
and in case such application be
turned down, the matter could be
Immediately referred to the legis-
lature the members of which are
under obligation t o see that we
get fair plav.
The opportunity to bring the
present farcical land law to a
sudden and we'll deserved end-to
bury it so deeply as to forever put
it out of the memory of mankind
is at hand. and for the desirable
homeseekers to sit idly by and see
b s golden opportunity i p
through their fingers is but little
short of criminal neglect. 1t is we'll
eneugh-in fact m st com :
mendable-for the government to
provide patch s" for the field
lahorer. but what are we to do
when government ignores the
welfare of our middle classl The
class which, if kicked out o f
salaried positions, would have to
move on" through not having a
place where they can call their
own?
We learn from those who profess
inside knowledge. that the present
land policy is intended to offset a
rush for the thousands of acres of
government land which will b.
thrown open within a few years;
the idea being that when this land
is placed on the market, the op-
position to homesteading will point
with contempt, to the present un-
successful attempts of the home
steaders whose holdings range
from two to fifteen acres. If this
be true, Mr.. Skilled Workman sp-
on whom the bulk of the success
of the big interests rests, what are
you going t o Go to offset this
scheming to do you out of that
which is rightfully yours? Are
you to continue to be gulled into
submission to t h e will of the
powers? Are you to still submit
to the narrowing doubts which
are your constant bedfellows?
Doubts which spell poverty i II
your old age and the filling of a
paupers grade? Or are you going
to have the courage of real man
and stand firmly for the considera-
ton due you as an American citi-
zen. Those are my sentiments,
but I do not dare express them or
else I'll get fred" we hear from
most every direction. Change this
sickening, silly prattle and be a
man-do mans part, then let
the firing begin, and W hen the
smoke of battle has cleared away,
you II probably have nice little
home and great deal more back
bone to your credit. 1t is said by
some that the labor supply will be
greatly effected by homesteading.
This is mistaken idea. Suppose
for arguments sake that the Lihue
Plantations holdings belonged to
private individuals, would not these
same individuals grow the same
acreage of cane which is grown al
present. Then since it takes a GER
tain amount OF labor to produce an
acre of cane, it is only fair to sup.
pose further that every acre of
cane grown by individual planters
would require that much reduc-
tion in the plantations labor pay
roll. And finally, if all the land
should be cultivated by privat,
concerns, t h same number o.
laborers would be required to dc
the work which is at present tn,
case, only the plantation would b,
! relieved of anv necessity of seek
( ing labor further than of skilled
nature. There seems absolutely
no reason for oDDosinp anv DOlic,