The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-04-18

Ha,uai;i; Should Kno,o

TIME public is entitled to know just what is to
= be the policy of the present territorial admin
istration regarding demonstrating and the DISPOSE
ton of the public lands The matter is of the ut
most importance to Hawaii, both at the present
time and for the future, and Governor Pinkhan
should state his position plainly We have been
'fed up on meaningless phrases and shadowy
eeneralities and we are entitled to plain Yes OF
No to the question asked by Mr.. Brandt in Lihue
Is the Governor in favor Of the demonstrating Of
the public lands and prepared to, give the home
steaders the profession they are entitled to under
the law, or is he not in favor of homesteading and
not prepared to see that demonstrating is success
so far as the government may make 1t such?
| am against the government lands being
taken up by homesteaders. demonstrating
is not success and will never be success.
These are the words credited to Governor Pink
ham by leading citizen of the Territory. They
have been published all over the Islands and have
been discussed for the past two weeks. They were
first printed in The Advertiser Of April g. and they
stand uncontradicted. -..! ..t
Facing Governor Pinkham, at special meeting
of the Kauai chamber of commerce held at Lihue
on April II and attended by the general public,
Thorvald Brandt, a, prominent resident of the
island, said in reference to the statement credited
to the Governor: ~ ~ 81 paaakt.
| came here expressly to be put right as
regards certain statements published in the
local paper, claiming to be the views of our
u administration concerning demonstrating.
y For an hour after Mr., Brandt had spoken the
Governor took part in general discussing regard
ing demonstrating, but not syllable did he utter
in reply to the plain request for definite informa-
ton, request courteously made and properly in
order. '3 r.
The Governor refused to attend a second meet
ing of the chamber, stating that he had been
"bullyragged and insulted" at the first one.
Following the first publication of the statement
of the Governor, as made to Mr.. Horner The Ad-
vertiser endeavored to secure confederation or de-
1ial from him. In response to the request of this
paper, the Governor prepared signed statement,
which lodged the main issue, that of his home
stead policy. and dealt wholly with the contro-
versy that had ariseR regarding the Kapaa-Wai-
pouli homesteads. The whole point Of the Gov
ernor's signed statement was that the controversy
had its origin and being in the fact that there was
friction between the Lihue and the Makee planta-
tons, between which lay the homesteads. IA
The whole situation on Kauai is the re-
suit Of years Of pickering and personal ami
mostly between the heads of these two plan
tationS.
Such is the statement made by the Governor
over his own signature and after elaboration The
statement Immediately challenged by Hans
Isenberg, manager of the Lihue plantation and one
of the men referred to by the Governor Gov
ernor's statement untrue" said Mr. Isenberg in a
wireless published in The Advertiser which denial
of the Governors statement was repeated at the
Lihue meeting, when Mr.. Isenberg faced the
Governor.
The denial of Mr.. Isenberg was ignored by
Governor Pinkham just as was the request
for information made by Mr.. Brandt.
Governor Pinkham is now back from Kauai
He must face the issue he has raised through his
devious dealings concerning the Kappa situation
If he feels that he may ignore one newspaper and
a few individuals, he certainly cannot have yet
arrived at that stage of the divine right when
he believes he may ignore the desire of the whole
community for at least clear cut statement as
to his position and policy.
He should speak out, and if he cannot put his
own ideas t. plain English, let him entrust the
ask to someone who Hawaii is entitled to
IN understanding.