The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-02-13


the busiest parts of our country at this time
when unemployment is SO widespread. It is the
romance Of how the thought Of one man greatly
enlarged the whole economic aspect Of these
islands which we were once so reluctant to
annex.
For our government was tar from cordial to
the idea of receiving Hawaii under it's flag back
in 1895 when an annexation treaty was first
negotiated with President Harrison. This was
withdrawn by President Cleveland in April Of
that year. but brought up again after President
McKnley's election, and Hawaii was not finally
admitted into the Union until July 7, 1898.
There was good reason for this reluctance.
Just for the sake of acquiring Pacific naval
station this country did not want to assume the
permanent financial liability which these islands
seemed likely to prove. AS late as its 19O7-19OS
edition the Encyclopedia Americana stated that
"the danger of depending upon a single crop
(sugar) has long been recognized, and persistent
efforts have been made to develop minor indus
tries" in Hawaii.
One Man Did 1t
To understand how Hawaii developed second
important crop which goes out as a food of
golden pineapple and forms one Of the two great
Industries of the Hawaiian Islands, 1t is necessary
to go back thirty years to the beginning of the
career of one James d. Dole. 1t was in 1899 that
this man, just graduated from Harvard, set out
for the Hawaiian Islands from suburb of Bos-
ton known as Jamaica Plain.
He went there to grow coffee. He knew moth
ing about pineapple culture Neither did he know
anything about canning. But, after various ex-
periments, he went back to Boston to get an
expert Gamer and raise some capital, and he
succeeded in both attempts.
After that the pineapple business began to
prosper The company which he formed packed
1888 cases of pineapple in 1908, $3.50 cases in
1904, $4,000 in 1905 and more than 100000 in
1907. Its pack grew to 100000 cases in 1912,
100000 in 1918; 100000 in 1923; 100000 in
1926; and from S,247,2O4 cases in 1929 it grew
to more than 100000 last year.
Once this man had demonstrated that pine
apples could be probably grown in Hawaii, he
naturally had competitors. There are now nine
chief growers who packed total of about
11,S00,000 cases last year. nearly all Of which
were shipped to the United States and had q
value Of s45,O00000 No, there is no unemploy
vent at present in Hawaii.
Room for More
In spite of this vastly increased production
the consumption of pineapples in the United
States amounts to only trife more than two
pineapples per capita year. So there is room
for even greater production If it can be brought
about but all of the good pineapple land in
Hawaii is now taken, and when the island of
Lanai, recently bought and developed into huge
pineapple plantation by Doles company, is
brought to full production. that will be about
all the pineapple that Hawaii can supply.
The story of the acquisition of this island of
Lanai is a whole romance in itself. Back in
1922 Dole was facing the problem of the need
Of more land for the growing of pineapples. 1t
was estimated at that time that there were only
about $4,000 acres in the islands adapted to pine
annie culture. OF these his company then con-