The Garden Island. [volume] (Lihue, Kauai, H.T.) 1902-current, 1913-03-18
LAND LAW QUESTION

The possible naming of Link
McAndless as governor of h e
Territory indicates about the first
sign of relief for the future home
steaders, since it is a we'll known
fact that he is probably he best
posted man on land affairs in the
Territory, and will THUS be in a
position to understand the situation
from h e homesteaders' point Of
view. Another important fact is
that he will be entirely free from
that influence which has made the
present governor little less than an
elastic jackint the-hox.
An apparently good suggestion,
and one which would go far to-
wards killing fake homesteading,
was recently made by a prominent
Waimea business man, who would
change the present land laws so as
to provide that homesteaders be
allotted land as under the present
methods, with the stipulation that
i'll the event of their desiring to
sell out, the government, only,
would have the privilege of buy
ing, paying the homesteader the
same price for the land as it had
cost him, plus the improvements.
The land thus reverting to the
government, would again be re-
advertised and again sold to any
homeseeker under similar terms
with additional charges for i'm
provements. T h government
would thus be protected against
fake homesteading as well as
against any possibility of the land
ever falling into he hands of
corporations.
Some will say that the land in
ten years, for instance, will have
increased in value, and that h e
government should pay the home
steader more for the land than that
which he originally had paid, and
that If he only received payment
for the improvements he had made,
there would be no profit in it for
the homesteader. To this we can
say, that even at the present price
of sugar, and with the future out
look of the pineapple ind stry, any
man who has the use of fortv to
eighty acres for a term o years,
should have made a profit on his
farm which would justify him N
breaking even" n the disposal
OF it at cost.
A Few Facts:
In an effort ascertain a few
facts concerning the conditions
existing among the homesteaders
of the what appears OH the face of
it, to be the thriving" Homestead
District. some peculiar facts have
been brought to light, one of not
the least Importance, being that
but three owners in the entire
settlement are free from mort
cages, one of these having been
able to save himself only by t he
aid of financial assistance through
the death of a relative. When we
take into consideration, that this
district is composed of scores of
holdings of from five to fifteen
acres, and that it is held up as a
sample of successful homestead
ing" it is not difficult to come to
a d efinit e conclusion as to the
significance of hat counter petit
ton" which is claimed to have
had its origin in h e vicinity of
McBrYde. 1t is rumured h at
those who signed the petition were
lined up and the paper passed
along the line with a request to
sign" AS to whether the rumoris
true or not, we will not concern
ourselves, but the fact that a peti.
tion was circulated, is sufficient to
indicate a condition of # airs.
which should be met with firmness
by every bonifide homeseeker on
Kauai.