Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-07-17
PROTEST AGAINST
HOMESTEAD BILL
Sent WASHINGTON
Haiku Farmer, E. C. Moore,
Charges Sugar Interests"
Behind Move; Explicitly De-
MED BY Land Commissioner
in Washington

Edwin G. Moore, farmer. OF Haiku,
| Maui. has written letter OF formal
| protest to the house committee on ter
ritories against the passage OF the
pending house bill amending the
demonstrating laws of Hawaii
! MoOre's letter declares that in his
belief the bill is part of a scheme by
the sugar interests to defeat legiti-
mate demonstrating.
A few days ago the Star-Bulletln
published an account OF Land Com
missioner Rivenburgh' appearance in
| WashiE gton before the territories
committee on behalf of this bill, and
printed considerable of the hearing
by the committee. This account was
the first news Moore had of the pend
| ing bill. he says. In his letter, which
was written July 10 to the chairman
! OF the committee, William c, Hous
ton OF Tennessee, he charges that
while in the last territorial legislature
the house represented the people, the
senate was sugar controlled" and
| instances as proof that the senate
passed a concurrent resolution similar
to the bill now in Washington, but
the house defeated the resolution.
His letter asks that no action be
taken on the bill until the farmers OF
Hawaii are heard from.
The letter says:
Chairman, Committee on Territories,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir:
Much to my establishment l have
Just learned from a newspaper that
the Delegate from Hawaii has intro
duced a bill, House Bill 4722, concern
ing the public land of Hawaii, and
that the Commissioner of Public
Lands, Hon. B. G. Rivenburgh, has
appeared before the Committee to
advocate the passage of the bill.
mo information concerning the bill
has, before this time, been given In
the papers here. and l wish to ask
your committee not to take favorable
action on it until copies can be gotten
here and some expression Of opinion
be sent you from the plain farmers
Of the islands who are most vitality
interested in this matter.
From the newspaper reports the
provisions of this bill seem to be much
the same as those Of Senate Concur
rent Resolution No. IA of the 1917
Session of the Legislature of Hawaii.
which was defeated by the House of
Representatives. This resolution we
plain farmers believed to be thoroly
bad, and a subterfuge on the part OF
the sugar interests here to defeat
legitimate demonstrating. The same
Senate that passed 1t defeated every
measure advanced by the farmers and
passed by the House looking to the
furthering of legitimate, demonstrating
and small far & in the Territory.
refer particularly to our legislatures
H. B. "a, The, Farm Loan Act for
Hawaii, and H B. 1913, providing for
Homestead Lease with Rental.
I'm our iast Legislature the House
represented the people, the Senate
was sugar controlled. The House re-
fused to concur In the Senate ReSolu
ton referred to, and rhe appearances
are that the sugar people have car
ried their efforts to the national CAPT
toll very quietly hoping to gain their
point there before we realized what
they were about.
I'VE realize the evils that have
taken place in homesteading here,
There may be some need for a change
in the law. tho a strict enforcement
Of the law as it exists would go a
long way towards discouraging fake"
demonstrating. We thought a change
was needed and advocated H. B. 12S,
referred to above, which the Senate
killed. Under this bill the govern
ment would always retain title, the
homesteader must continuously reside
on the homestead, and the government
would receive perpetual rental of
4 per cent of the value or the land.
Such a method Of demonstrating would
protect the government fully from
both the sugar interests and the fake
homesteader, and would give the legit-
innate homesteader every possible
chance. The method used in New
Zealand is very similar to this, and
has been successful there. But any
change in the law which would take
the power to require the opening up
OF the land out of the hands of the
people, where it now is under that
clause of the Organic Act which be-
gins, Whenever twenty-five or more
persons would be a calamity to the
Americantzation OF the islands, for
one of the greatest aids to that Am
ORGANIZATION will be the establishment
of a contented and prosperous rural
citizen population.
I'VE ask delay until we can get
copies of H. B. 4722, and can forward
you an expression of opinion from the
farmers about it."
RlVenbursh Denies It's Sugar
Move"
Against the statements made by
Moore is the emphatic declaration Of
Commissioner Rivelburgh in Wash
ington that the changes asked are to
protect bona fide homesteaders and
preserve the government land. He
specifically denied that the amend |
mcnts are for the sake of the planta
tons.
uRuIAu CEATIIpEn IM