The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-02-11
CHANGING
0NLAND MATTERS
National Commission Fayors
IeasehoIds To Farmers and
Many Other Reforms

i've researches and cor Parsons cover.
ing American agriculture in all lis
phases, has recently submitted its final
report to Congfess The comm ,slon
was formed So ieral years ago, its mem.
beers having been appointed by the
President, two from each aIe, and los
activities have covered an investiga-
tion of European as vel as American
conditions. CN.l5 .H3
Ruial credits, land ownership, ten.
aney, farm taxation aad the +. lltiuns
existing between land owners. tenant
farmers and farm laborers! have been
some Of the probl ms consider a by ths
commission. Among other things In
this report IL IS interestiag IL note that
the Commission seeommen,ls tha enact
ment of congressional legislation favor.
ing longterm leassholds rather than
Ownership Of agricultural lands, st
"Fair RsntaisS, Key 70 sitnation 4
What Is needed, the commission SAYS.
is ssleg Station proyiding, fora lapd
system 70 give security OF tsnnre, and
protection Of the interests OF the ten
ant, in the nnEtter Of s1eh & ih)pteve.
ments as he mays make on leiisehoId
while it Is in hi& possess ,on y n Fair
rentals aEe declared to 81 theAksf Is
he lcasehoiA lfcb, en-. Hence the ccm-
mission ree0Inmdhds ftthatN national
ana slate iand eoahmfssioks be q (,
lied with powers to act as landic airts
ana 10. hear eviaence giaSnkbH ana,
lords and tenants as to QUESTIONS Thai
have to do with fair rents, Rxity of
enufe and imrrovements made BIZ ten
ants on lahdlordss property.
HThese commissions should operate
Farm bureaus TO act as agents between
landlords and tenants in the distribu-
ton of tenant labor, the preparation Of
equitable contracts, assist home seeking
Garmers, and secure better distribu.
ton of seasonal farm labor -, #E
improvements Fax-free . D..
The developme nh of better credit IA
eilities through the assistance, of the
government, and the cooperative or.
ganization of farmers and tenants is
recommended. There should also he
nodernized ruralischools and compul.
sorv, education ofgchildren. A revision
81 the taxatin system 50 as to ex empt
from taxation, allt farm improvements,
and to tax unusad farlh land at its full
rental value, are Rlso recommended. 2
The remarka bles thing about all this
$ that Hawaii has already incorporated
iome of the principles invol led into iGs
statutes, and to that extent is In id
vance of most mainland communities
These advances have been mnde in nm
orderly way, and procedure has deycl.
oped here in accordance with eonditions
IS they are The circumstances that in
the beginning the lands were hell In
very large bodies, by the ali, rather
han by the common people, led to the
Natural building up of lsaschold sys.
tenn. Nj y =
Hawaii's Advanced Position .,r ~.
The Hawaiian public laiId system has
been subjected to severe criticism
often and from many sources. Now it
begins to appear that the system is in
many regards better than that of home
leads, at least in the matter Of securs
ing the greatest use of land for agricuI.
tural production That seems to be the
judgement of this national commission.
Hawaii has already handled these pros
lens through commissipns-,th land
board, board of immigration, and so on
The great land-owning estates have
in most cases adopted extremely liberal
policy towards tenants. One of these
(the Bishop Estatel, has been notable
in its. cooperation with tenants to as
tist them in developing agricultural
lands under its control. The Hawaiian
spirit of live and live has expressed
itself in practise a. between landlord
and agricultural tenant even where il
has.not been Incorporated in the law
Low Interest Charges .
Tho industrial relations commission
has made other recommendations also
Among these are the Adoption of the
European rural credit system; to adopt
the Irish hand bin and the Australian
tate colonization systems to our Amer
lean conditions; and the enactment Of
laws under which the government can
resume \ large bodies of agricultural
lands, at their appraised value, cut
hem up into small farms, provide such
improvements as are needed, and sell
them to "colOnists, = payment for both
land and improvements to be made in
thirty years on the amortization plan.
The commission further recommends
that the government in it's dealin %
with email farmers, calonists, home
steaders and Ieaseholders .chaI ge them
only the interest rate that. the govern
mrnt itself has to pay, plus small nd
dition to pay the cost Of government
administration. These recommendation
have been made. by a strong majority
Of the ninety six men who compose
the commission. ~ m
Not All Dreamers ly,. .a
3 There were two comm ssioncrs from
each state, and among their number
were leaders among the bankers, bust
ness men, political economists, aqricul
turai scientists and teachers OF the
United States. II was a non partisan
commission, These Tecomm ,ndations
stand 80 far separated from what pop
'llar writers and speakers term "The
American Ideals" OF land owner, hin
that il is difficult to conceive that pub.
lie oninion is now TENDING in that di,
restion. After making these r,cnm
mendations, the commission further
adds: ave believe that This il cav
ried otit wisely and intelhgently, will
have a large share in minimizing indus
trial unrest and in adding to the
wealth Of the nation, both materially
and in the quality iof,its citizenship