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THE GARDEN ISLAND TUESDAY, 'SEPTEMBER 14, 1915,
THE GARDEN ISLAND
Issued Every Tuesday Morning
Luther Dermont Timmons
Editor
TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 14
The Civic Convention's Program
The literary program committee on Civic Convention arrange
ments has favored Thk Oak dun Lsi.and with an advance copy of its
tentative program, and the same is presented on another page of this
issue At first glance it appears to be quite complete, although we
suppose that a band concert in Li hue park Sunday afternoon, Septem
ber J6, and a few other things arc regarded ns matters of course.
The program grows on one, so to speak. The first impression
received of the literal v part of it is of a sort of theoretical banquet.
It looks deep deep, dark and mysterious; and we fancy some of the
organizations shying at it. But take the sub-subjects. Take them
one at a time and analyze them.
You will conclude, as have others, that the subject is a big, com
prehensive and important one, and opens into a field of highly inter
esting discussion,
J. M. Lvdgate. of Lihue, we understand, is the father of this sub
ject, and had most to do in "slicing it up" for the practical purposes
of the Convention. In his work he was ably assisted by J. K. Farley,
of Koloa, and R. L. Hughes, of Elecle. These gentlemen are to be
heartily congratulated upon their work, and we are hopeful that the
discission which they have invited may be satisfactory in its conclusions.
Protection For The Children
Now that the schools of Kauai have entered upon the autumn
term, we hope some attention will be given to the matter of providing
lockers in which may be kept changes of clothing for children arriv
ing from a distance on wet mornings.
Most of the pupils of Kauai walk to school, many of them
from quite a distance. During the rainy season which happens to
be more than half of the school ycarl they arrive there with their
clothing damp, or even soaked, and not having the facilities for chang
ing, sit in their wet garments for hours, contracting colds and laying
the foundation for more serious disease.
With suitable lockers provided in the school buildings, the chil
dren could keep changes of clothing there; and the problem of changing
wet clothes for dry garments would be a mere matter of school routine
on rainy mornings.
We are pleased to hear that a few of the schools have done some
thing along this line on their own initiative; but we would like to see
it taken up generally and systematically throughout the island. And
right now is the time to start in. We can expect only a few weeks
more of fairly dry weather, and then will come the rains which continue
throughout the winter months. Let preparation be made in advance
for the wet season.
Japanese Not Ill-Treated
The statement made by Rev. M. Kanatuori, of Japan, in San
Francisco on September 7 that the Japanese in Hawaii were oppressed
will probably come as a great surprise to the Japanese of this island
as it will to people of other races here.
The Japanese of Kauai are not oppressed. They are given oppor
tunities here equal to any they could possibly find under the Ameri
can flag, and incomparably superior to the opportunities in their own
country. They are not overworked, are well cared for, are well paid.
have all the reasonable luxuries and pleasures of life and are content
and happy. Moreover, their children are being educated and trained
in such way as to become a guaranty of their future success.
We know of no discontented Japanese on Kauai, and have yet to
hear of one expressing the opinion that he was being oppressed or even
that he hadJeen unfairly treated. If there is such a man, we would
like to have him stand up,
The Japanese parson probably ran against the immigration laws
of the United .States at Honolulu, and that, in place of local conditions,
was irritating Ins craw
A Model Hawaiian Homestead
That the native Hawaii in homesteader is a dismal failure, what
ever may be said of anv other kind, this is Uk- stock objection of the
unbeliever bent on knocking homesteads as well as Hawaiians. By way
of response we bea to call attention to the following facts:
Going up out of Koloa towards Lawai, mostly through unde
veloped, vacant land, you come at length to a refreshing bit of trim
kept lawn on the mauka side of the road, with a modest yet neat littl
home, set well back on the edge ot the lawn. It would, perhaps, at
first suggest the luxurious intentions of some well-to-do retired mag
nate, who is going to inula a mansion, with the present cottage ns a
garage there is so little indication of the farmer. But closer examina
tion reveals the fact that the little cottage stands on the brink of t
valley at the rear of which is a veritable Garden of Eden of choice agri
culture, in which may be found every fruit and vegetable which is
dear to the Hawaiian taste, and such rare products as are seldom seen
in the modern days. Bananas that are only a memory of the good old
days that are gone. Maia-maole. iho-lena. and popo-uka as well as
many of the newer kinds; several varieties of old Hawaiian sugar
cane, suoposed to be long extinct, infinitely superior to the modem
introductions for eating soft, ensp and juicy; Hawaiian pia, or arrow
root, the most delicate and delicious of starch products; these in addi
tion to sweet potatoes, taro, pineapples, as well as fowls, pigeons, ;
horse or two, and a cow constitute a small farm that no man need be
ashamed of. And every portion of it bespeaks the most faithful and
industrious attention. The little house is spotlessly clean; the lawn is
trim and neat; the fields are free from weeds, and mellow; everything
is in order.
1 he homesteaa together with all the improvements are entirely
free from debt or other incumbrance and constitute a valuable little
patrimonv. The improvements including the home were made en
tirelv by the owner with his own hands, together with those of his
thrifty family in conjunction with, and as a side issue to, the daily
duties of his profession, which have not been neglected.
To see such a homestead and such a homesteader gives one a new
conception of the possibilities of Hawaii as a land of homes and of
Hawaiians as the creators of them.
And this suggests another commendable feature of this little farm;
There is a little band of children growing up on this farm into lhes
of usefulness, far from the temptations and meretricious attractions of
the town. Dear little children, natural, happy, busy, useful. Those
children promise to lie the best justification of that homestead. Were
there no other benefit this would sufTicientlv commend it.
Should China actually adopt the plan indicated, we would have
in the Ortent a republic with virtually a monarch at the head of it,
not unlike Great Britain, however, which our English friends de
light to tell us is a republic ruled by a king!
Are wk again going to sleep. on the Nawiliwili harbor proposi
tion? It is possible, of course, that the appropriation for this import
ant improvement may take care of itself in Congress. It undoubtedly
has more friends there than ever before, But without prodding and
boosting on the part of its immediate friends here it will certainly
stand less show than otherwise. Another strong resolution from the
Chamber of Commerce would, we are inclined to believe, be of great
value.
Hawaii Island is talking of establishing rest houses on the sum
mit of Mauna Loa. One of these years there will be fine hotels at the
cool and bracing altitudes of this wonderful mountain, with airships
transporting passengers to and therefrom daily. But some provision
should be made for the nonce, and the rest houses, with suitable trails,
tortn a suggestion which we modestly but hearhly fokua.
SrnctAt, attention is directed to a two-column article on oaee 6
of this issue on the first year of the war. There will be three sections
to this story, published in three successive issues, one giving the his
tory of the war in brief in the east, another in the west and the third
on the sea. The three sections taken together will srive in concise
form the happenings of the first twelve months of the mightiest strug
gle in the history of the world, and will be well worth preserving.
A Republic With A King
The county clerk of Oahu has suggested that the Tenitorv nav
the expenses of the citv's charter convention. We have no doubt but
that the senators and representatives of the islands other than Oahu
would quickly fall into line with this idea. We can now plainly see
Kauai's senators and representatives falling all oyer each other in a
scramble to vote for such an excellent proposition (?),
Maui may have grown some peaches and pears with "the firm
ness, the acid taste and the delicate perfume of fruit grown in the
North," and so fat as we are concerned, Maui can have the entire job
of raising this Territory's future crop of such things. All of our spare
time is taken up fighting the fruit fly from natural, tropical products.
Francb has requisitioned her supply of alcohol for use in the
manufacture of gun powder. Our prohibition friends will orobablv
be able to find in th;s additional sunstantiation of their claim that alcohol
is an agency of destruction.
Lihue has thus far put up more money for the expenses of the
Civic Convention than the entire balance of the island of Kauai com
bined. This does not speak well tor some of our progressive towns.
China wishes to continue as a republic, but would have her first
president elected for life and the office of president descend from sire
to son.
The idea is an unique one, ami is at variance with the American
conception of a republican form of government. At the same time, it
must be admitted that conditions in China are peculiar and unusual
and extraordinary methods and measures are probably called for there.
The Chinese hive been under the voke for ages, ami the nature of
the race has developed (or retrograded, as we may care to look at it)
to conform to that voke. The people are uneducated, and are incapa
ble of assuming the responsibilities of citizenship, as we understand
those responsibilities.
PUBLICITY THE THING
A recent editorial in The Gar
den Island respecting the public
ity policy of the County of Kauai
is endorsed by the Maui News,
which says, editorially:
"Not without good reason has
Kauai always been held up as a
shining example to the other coun
ties in the matter of county govern
ment. And not without justifica
tion has Kauai taken pride in the
fact. The Garden Island has ood
roads that probably cost, her less
for construction and maintenance
than do those of any other county.
She has had the same county en
gineer for years. Her supervisors
handle the business of the county
with apparently a minimum of
friction, and the people of the Is
land are apparently well satisfied
with their stewardship.
"And now comes Editor Tim
mons, of the Garden Island, with
an explanation of this pleasant
phenomenon. It is largely due, he
says, to the policy of publicity
which has always been encouraged
in matters of county government.
The proceedings of the board of
supervisors at all meetings is pub
lished in full. Everybody in the
county therefore knows all the de
tails of the county business, all of
the time and understands them.
This one thing. Editor Timmons
says, is worth thousands of dollars
to the county and the people. It
forestalls suspicion and nullifies
anv occasion for criticism.
"There is much truth in the
suggestion With such a system
in practice on Hawaii, it seems
scarcely possible that the notorious
grafting and thievery of a few
years ago could have occurred.
Maui has not suffered in the same
way, but she has not escaped the
reproach of some exceedingly fool
ish and expensive blunders in the
past, that would have in all likeli
hood been avoided had the details
of what the supervisors were doing
been known. And the men who
made the blunders were not crimi
nals. They simply made mistakes.
And the people of Maui were in
equal measure responsible for these
mistakes as were the men who
made them. It was their business
to have an interest in public affairs,
and to not sit blindly by until mis-
I takes were made which their know
ledge and interest would most cer
j tainiy have prevented.
"The men who are serving the
people as supervisors have a right
i to demand the intelligent coopera-
tion of every good citizen, for no
' government bv the people can be
.efficient unless the people are in-
EDISON S
OF NAVAL EXPERTS
Following is the board of ex
perts appointed by the secretary
of the navy to improve naval de
vices:
Thomas A. Edison chairman,
the world's greatest inventor,
Hudson Maxim, explosive ex
pert.
Matthew Sellers, aeronautical
authority.
Howard Coffin, inventor.
Andrew Riker, inventor.
Dr. Peter Hewitt, aeronautical
and electrical inventions.
Thomas Robbing, mechanical ex
pert.
W. R. Whitney, director of re
seaich in the electrical field.
L. H. Baekelan, Belgian chem
ist
Frank Srague, who built the first
electrically trained naval gun.
Benjamin Lamme, inventor.
Other Sciences Represented
Robert Woodward, astronomer,
president of the Carnegie Institute.
Arthur Webster, professor o f
physics. Clark University.
Andrew Hunt, engine expert.
William Sanndet, inventor and
engineer. ,
Benjamin Thayer, metallurgist.
Dr. Joseph Richards, professor
of metallurgy, Lehigh University
Lawrence Addicks, engineer.
William S. Emmet, pioneer pro
moter of electric ship propulsion.
Spencer Miller, expert on sim
plified coaling of ship and inventor
of the breeches buoy.
Henry Wise Wood, authority in
mechanics.
Elmer Sperry, electrical invent
or.
Edison Has New Submarine
One of the biggest tasks which
confronts the board is the sub
marine problem. Chairman Edi
son, who is a submarine expert
has devoted himself almost exclu
sively the last few months in de
vising a more perfect submarine,
and with the colaboration of the
remainder of the board is expected
to evolve a new type for the navy
along which lines the big number
of submarines in prospect will be
built.
telligently alive to what is going
on. Nor is there a better way to
gain this interest than through the
broadest kind ef publicity. It isn't
sufficient simply to say that the
meetings are open. No one has
time to spend from four to six days
per month attending meetings. Ka
ua:'s idea of publishing the details
of meetings is not' new many
towns and cities on the mainland
have long done the same thing
but it is an innovation as far as
this territory is concerned, and a
mighty good one."
Daniel Frohman
Present
D
ALICE DOVEY
(Famous in America and England)
In the Great Military Drama
THE COMMANDING OFFICER
A Powerful Plot and Counter Plot
of over-whelming interest
In 5-Part
...ALSO-
Three Other High Class Pictures
Eight Reels of Film
Will be shown at i
KEAL1A Thursday, Sept. 16. LIHUE Friday
and Saturday, Sept. 17 and 18.
Prices 1 0, 25, 50 cents.
The Blaisdell is a new, i
sanitary, cool Hotel
The best place to stop when you are in Honolulu. Every
room an outside room. Handy to any place in town, liates from
$1 per person per day up. Weekly and monthly rates on
application.
J. F. CHILD. Mgr. ;
FORT STREET, half-way between Hot-I ami Beivtiinla St., Swa Side.
Address
Territorial Messenger Service
HONOLULU
j'A Ji l
h g Agent for Kauai lr
1 1 by miles the best tireM
II k 1 1 Thev average 25 per cent It I J
t- T 'I 1 1 T" P I 3
If ,1 more than other 1 ires. ;
A full stock carried at the JPI j
NAWILIWILI GARAGE y!
The Matthews Light and 5ower
System solves the problem of efficie: light
and power at the lowest possible cc for
your home, business place or factor)
One of these independent plars will
furnish you with 32-volt current at tt very
low price or 3c per kilowatt.
There are 2 sizes of plant.
For additional information, cornuni-
cate with
Honolulu Iron Works Co.,
HONOLULU
Ltd.
Let Us Do All Your
Laundry and Dr Cleaning
