The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-07-10
.RIVENBURGHA ASKS CONGRESS
TO CHANGE OURLAND LAWS.
Commissioner Asks National Lawmakers To Do What Local Leus
Iaufe Refused To DoAsks Committee On Territories To Do
Away With twenty-five Citizen Mandatory Clause <
Mr.. Rivenburgh. Yes, sir.

MI hlVenburBh. Yes, sir. ,".. &.
AZ Mr.. johnson, Then, in ten years,
there win be a very largely increased
number among those who are cuffiyat.
ing the cane fields that will come into
maturity and citizenship -.... d T.
Mr. Rivenbutgh. Yes, sir. b.. .....E
MT. johnson. That is where your
hofnesteads viii go ultimately under the
present lawH 90
Mr.. Rivenburgh. Under the present
law; yes, sir.
Mr.. johnson. And you can now. nm.
der this proposed act, Keep them out
by continually leasing the landf
Mr.. Rivenburgh. You can keep them
out by the land board not qualifying
them as bona fde citizens or home.
steaders. aa l7
Mr.. johnson. What you could do
with the Japanese you could do with
the BARRIERS, chautreurs, and everybody
else that the board did not think was
a BONA nde nomesteaderf ...".
Mr.. Riyenburlh. Yes, sir. ...
Mr.. kehOe. As | understand &C. I'M
der the present law, when twenty five
people file a petition, il is man
datory upon the officials to survey
and lay off this land and let the appli-
cants homestead it, and under this
change, as / understand it, they could
make applications singly or by twenty
fves, as they see fit, but this board
would have discretion to say whether
they could have the homestcads nr not :
Mr.. Riyeubursh. Yes, sir. 4. r.sE,
Mr.. Kehoe. If they should elect not
to allow them to have this land, what
disposition would you make of the
land9 .., - .
Mr.. Rivenburgh. If the land is not
already leased, probably somebody
would apply for it. "'"@ -
Mr.. kehoe. l am assuming that this
land is some that is subject to home.
stead, but that they have rejected the
applications of the men. If the appli.
cation is not made by bona fide citi-
zen it can be rejected. Now, If it is
not homesteaded will they lease the
1andf
Mr.. Rivenbur2h. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Kehoe. To whOmf g..
Mr.. Rivenburgh. TO anybody that
makes application for it.
Mr.. KehOe. As n matter of revenue,
does the Territory get more out of
the leased land than out of the home
steaded land?
Mr.. Rivcnburgh. Yes, sir.
Mr.. KehOe. Therefore there would
be great temptation to lease it.
Mr., johnson. If the United States
had leased its fertile farming lands in
stead of demonstrating them and max
ing citizens, the United States would
be deriving great revenue from them.
Suppose, for instance, the State of Hi
nois was. leased instead of being owned
by its citizens out there.
q Mr.. Rivenburgh. If we could get the
same type of citizens that you have in
Illinois we would be glad to have the
land taken up. We would be glad to
give them the land for small fraction
of its value. We have a food commits
sion out there that has been provided
for since the war was declared. Our
legislature was in session and provided
for q. food commission, to see what we
could grow down there to feed our.
selves and the soldiers that are sta
toned there. We hope that that com.
mission will develop diversified indus.
tiiOb lHbIS' "O hUpO W htt inc nOIub-
steaders grow something besides sugar
we hope to have them able TO produce
potatoes and corn, and some other kinds
of food crops which they can produce
at a profit, As it is now, when the
farmer goes on a, piece of land, he must
either grow pineapples or sugar, or he
is up against il, because there is moth
ing else that he can grow at profit,
and as long as he has the temptation
to 60 in with the big corporations he
does not make any effort on his own
behalf, after he makes these planting
agreements and let's them cultivate his
land, whereas if we could show him
that in year or two years he could
grow diversified crops, perhaps some
of those homesteaders would go in there
and make the same effort that the farm
er makes on the mainland. We hope
to induce them to grow potatoes or
something that will be consumed right
there in the Islands, or shipped to the
Pacific Coast at a profit. We. have got
TO have people on the land who will
become citizens of the United States
and be of some value to the community,
and in order 10 do that they have got
to get back to diversified industries.
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