The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-04-12
MUST Change LAND
LAWS now OR WAIT
Mcclellan Suggests Leaving
Homestead Withdrawals Up
To the President

Unless Legislation on the land ques
tons of Hawaii IL initiated and report
ed out at the present session of con
gress there is little or no likelihood of
any such legislation passing for two
years. This is the opinion of George
Mex. Mcclellan as he has expressed
that body yesterday. He said that at
the time of his engagement by the
chamber of commerce there was con
siderable discussion here by some of
the directors of the chamber as to pos
sible amendments to the land laws Of
the Territory.
"In the abse nee Of any instructions
from your body, l have made no eff
forts to secure action along that line,
and there has been no committee con
sideration of the subject" he writes.
II have no desire to try to influence
the chambers policy on land questio ms
and it is, Of course, easier for me to
have the situation drift along with no
attempted action. On the other hand
| do moi wish to avoid responsibility,
and am therefore writing 10 call your
attention to the legislativ. situation.
May Wait Two Years
Briefly, the situation is that unless
land legislation is initiated or under,
taken at this session Of congress, it
will be very difficult to get any &C
ton for a period of two years. The
reasons for this are, that this is the
Long Session Of the Sixty fifth con
gross, affording the most opportunity
to get bills reported out with some
| chance for consideration.
Bills reported out at this session
retain their place on the calendar for
the short session running from Decem-
Der next to March 3, following; but
the short session will be so taken up
with appropriation bills and war meas
ures that it will be impossible to in
trodure a bill in that session, get it re
ported by a committee, and still have
it reached for consideration.
elf the war continues, there will un
doubtedly be n special session called in
April. 1919: but If it follows the pre-
cedent of the special session of 1917
nothing bnt war legislation will be
acted on by it.
Offers Suggestion
"Hnving given considerable thought
| to the subject of expiring leases on
| cultivated lands in Hawaii, and after
| looking over the situation here, / have
| reached the conclusion that the most
practicable plan for meeting the stu
alton at the present time would be, not
an attempt to amend the land laws by
| taking away the homrIteaders' right
! of entry. but instead, simple amend
ment authorizing tn" President during
the war, to withdraw from entry lands
already cultivated for the productiO
of foOdstuffs. Such action could b.
authorized by tn following short para
graph:
During the Period of the war,
| the President is authorized to
| withdraw from homestead entry.
by executive "ldrr. any public
lands in the territories of the Unit,
ed States alrrndr cultivated for
the production OF foodstutfs.
"If a brief oil of this eharacte
could be reported out to the calendar
it might be possible to have it incOr
porated as an amendment to an appro
priatiOn bill at this or the fOllowin.
short session.
"Sueh an amendment would, in eft
feet, probably place action in tn
hands of the secretary Of the interior
and would max" it possible for hin
to take action. whether he is able t.
visit Hawaii this summer or not -
Visit Is Unlikely
In the opinion Of Mh Mcclellan
there is little possibility that Secre
tary Lane will visit Hawaii during tn
coming summer. In reference to thi
proposed visit his letter said:
"There has neen considerable tall
of visit to Hawai- this year by Sec
rotary Lane ~Iites Mr.. Mcclellan
"but, according to the best infOrma
tion ! can get there is no certainty o
his being able tC 60. Mr.. Lane ha'
plans made to 'iSit Alaskn last sum
mer. but was obliged to cancel hi
plans on account OF the war. and be
iele that the rhanrrs are very niue
against him brin- all" to come to Hu
Il.