50 
available  for  the  construction  of  such  roads.  Lots  should  not  be 
subdivided  nor  allotted  nor  sold  until  such  roads  are  completed. 
I believe  that  large  discretion  should  be  left  to  the  executive 
officers  of  the  Territory.  The  nature  of  the  land  varies  greatly  in 
its  productiveness,  and  there  is  a great  difference  in  the  char- 
acter and  habits  of  those  seeking  homesteads  which  should  be 
taken  into  consideration  in  fixing  the  areas.  From  the  lessons  of 
the  past  we  have  been  taught  that  safeguard  should  be  taken 
against  speculation  and  acquiring  property  for  the  benefit  of  third 
parties  who  are  themselves  large  land  owners.  These  abuses 
should  be  provided  against  in  every  way  possible,  bearing  in  mind 
that  the  terms  and  conditions  should  not  be  so  stringent  as  to 
prevent  persons  taking  up  land  for  homestead  purposes  or  make 
the  fulfillment  of  the  contract  over  burdensome  to  perform.  I 
believe  in  an  extension  in  the  period  when  patents  may  issue, 
requirements  of  actual  residence  for  longer  periods  of  time  than 
has  been  customary  and,  perhaps,  requirements  that  a larger  per- 
centage be  cultivated  to  extend  over  the  period  of  agreement  be- 
fore title  is  acquired.  Added  to  these,  smaller  areas  but  ample 
for  the  maintenance  and  support  of  a family  if  properly  and  intel- 
ligently tilled.  The  purchase  price  should  be  low — not  more  than 
2 5 per  cent,  of  the  assessed  market  value — payments  easy,  lasting 
over  the  period  of  agreement  without  interest.  These  ideas  are 
carried  out  in  practice  by  what  is  called  the  special  agreement, 
which  the  present  Governor  of  the  Territory  has  been  using  and 
the  amendments  to  the  law  suggested  by  the  majority  report  I 
believe  to  be  sound  legislation. 
One  of  the  obstacles  which  have  confronted  the  homesteader 
in  the  past  has  been  his  inability  to  obtain  a fair  price  for  the 
products  raised  within  the  Territory.  I believe  it  would  be  well 
for  the  Territorial  Government  to  seek  legislation  which  would 
enable  it  to  station  an  agency  in  Honolulu  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  the  producer  in  disposing  of  his  produce,  charging  there- 
for a reasonable  commission  for  the  work  involved. 
No  intelligent  person  aware  of  the  existing  conditions  within 
this  Territory  would  advocate  the  cutting  up  of  all  government 
land  now  occupied  and  planted  to  sugar  cane  and  turning  the 
same  into  homesteads.  The  nature  of  the  industry  requires  that 
it  should  be  conducted  on  a large  scale,  and  requires  in  its  nature 
large  capital ; no  policy  should  be  destructive  to  existing  indus- 
tries, particularly  to  an  industry  of  such  magnitude  as  that  of 
sugar  in  the  islands ; but  on  the  other  hand  I do  not  believe  in 
any  declared  policy  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  or  the  officers 
thereof  exempting  all  land  cultivated  in  sugar  cane  from  the 
effect  of  the  homestead  law.  By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  best 
land  in  the  Territory  is  in  sugar  cultivation,  and  while  I have  not 
much  faith  in  the  success  of  homesteading  in  connection  with 
sugar  plantations,  it  may  be  brought  about,  or  as  time  advances. 
