The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-11-20
N|NETY-N|NE YEAR
LEASES PROPOSED
T0SOLYE Problem
Abolition Of Entire Present Sys'
TEN Of Handling Public Lands
Suggested by Edwin c. Moore
GOVERNMENT SHOULD ...
NOT PART WITH TITLE
Haiku Man Explains His Plan In
Open Letter To Members Of
Visiting Congressional Party

Visiting Congressional Party
The land problem in Hawaii is re-
esiving more careful attention and con-
sidcration today than IL ever has be-
fore, and statements made recently by
members Of the visiting Congressional
purity Indicate that conscious effort
will be made to solve 1t, despite the
efforts Of certain reactionaries TO i'm
pose their own selfish will upon the
people -..'.' ....r..
Edwin G. Moore, Of Haiku, Maui, is
one OF tlIoss who have been giving
much thought 20 solution of the prob.
lem, and he believes he has found il
10 the abolition Of the entire present
system Of handling public lands and
the substitution of something along
the lines of a ninety year leasing
system, lyy which the government would
never part with the land but which
would enable the bona ide homesteadet
TO obtain and use it. Mr.. Moore has
expressed his views In the form of an
open letter to the visiting congress
men, which reads as follows:
Haiku, Maui, November IA, 1917.
Gentlemen:--Some Of us, who believe
Of the Territory Of Hawaii every proper
step should be taken to increase the
number Of independent citizen farmers
In the Territory, have come to feel that
change IN the land laws is necessary.
The present laws regulating the home
steading Of public land in the Terri
tory make II too easy to obtain title to
homestead, and consequently eonsti.
tute an invitation to spectators. ..as
The result Is that when q homestead
tract Is opened there are many more ap
plieants than lots, and q large proper
tion Of the applicants have not the least
intention Of making their homes upon
the homesteads, or of farming them,
They build shack, stay there occasion.
ally, perhaps,--at the end of the re.
quired two years secure the oaths need,
81 as 20 their residence, pay the as
sessed value, and lease the homestead
10 corporation or an alien. The legi,
innate farmers, who might have had
the homesteads and made homes OF
Thorn, are largely crowded ont at the
drawings by these spectators.
This condition is not peculiar TO
homesteadipg in Hawaii 1t has occur.
red elsewhere, and the remedy for it
has been discovered and applied. The
remedy is for the government never to
part with the title, and TO require con
tinuons residence by the homesteader.
In New Zealand the 66-year renewable
lease, aud long term residence require
ment, has succeeded in securing the
desired end---the peopling Of the land
with real farmers. We are content
that 10 Hawaii a similar arrangement
would DO the same. ~!.I... .
Ifomesteader Secure .r, .-..., D., 81,
tf a bin III. b. 1881 was introduced in
the last legislature covering this. We
already have a provision in our laws
for 900 year leases without rental, re-
quiring continuous residence, restricted
10 very small areas. Revised Laws of
Hawaii, 1915, Chapter 30, Part 8, See
Z tions 3Ss, and following) ii. b. 1913
would have added new part-Part GA
,liffering from the present Part in
requiring an annual rental of AZ Of the
assessed value Of the land, and enlarg-
ing the area to be taken. 1t Is a safe
guess that no speculator would be at
tracted 10 such proposition, yet 1t
Gives the very best terms possible to
the real farmer. He is as secure in his
possesaiOn as though he held fee simple
title, and all his usually small) capital
ing required to purchase the land. The
requirement that he maintain his home
continuously on the homestead is no
hardship to the real farmer because he
does that anyway, and he is as free TO
sell out ii he wants to leave as any
other farmer, the only difference being
that instead of selling land he sells his
improvements on the land-the land
having cost him nothing in the first
place and not belonging to him.
From the standpoint Of the govern
ment, the small annual rental is a just
return 10 all the people for allowing
one Of the people the exclusive occut
paney of piece of public land which
could have been leased for revenue if
il had not been homesteaded, and the
afrangement Of the government always
retaining title makes sure that, should
the homesteading ever fail, the land
will return to the government. This
government 8 greatest advantage is, of
eonrse. The securing Of rural citizen
population, d. ..,.-"o. ..'
..ft,l Work Ill.,. .
The adyantages Of this plan TO both
the government and the real homestead
4 er, The fairness Of il, and the fact that
il has succeeded elsewhere, make u
strong appeal TO those unseliishly in
teresfed in Hawaii y future. The House
Of Representatives passed the measure,
but the Senate threw it aside TO make
way for Senate Concurrent Resolution
liza scheme 10 lease the best agricul'
tuTal lands of the Territory to planta'
tons for 20 years without the posi-
bllity for withdrawing the land for
honesteading during that time. This
measure the House refused to concur in,
but in spite Of its failure in the Terri
torihl legislature, aud of the fact, as
evidenced by newspaper comment
throughout the islands that practically
no one 10 the Territory aside from the
great corporate interests favored ii, il
was carried very seeTetively over the
heads Of the legislators and the people
20 Won at Washington, and appeared as
II. b. 4722 in the national House Of
RpnFeaenlatiyes "t