78R18020 KMP-D

By:  Kuempel                                                      H.R. No. 1664



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to 
welcome the staff of the Parker Ranch, located on the Big Island of 
Hawaii, to the Lone Star State this summer; at this time it is also 
fitting that we recognize this remarkable enterprise, which 
encompasses approximately 200,000 acres of land, making it the 
largest private ranch under single ownership in the United States; 
and
	WHEREAS, For more than 150 years, Parker Ranch has played an 
instrumental role in the advancement of cattle ranching in Hawaii 
and has been considered the birthplace and home of the paniolo, the 
Hawaiian cowboy; six generations of these courageous islanders have 
helped to build the Parker Ranch empire, which today includes a vast 
array of holdings in commercial leasing, real estate, and tourism 
and visitor activities, as well as in its core business of livestock 
management and its continued existence is a testament to the hard 
work and exceptional commitment of its many owners and employees 
during this time; and
	WHEREAS, In 1992 the ranch began a notable new chapter in its 
history when the ownership was transferred to a trust foundation 
that supports health care, education, and charitable endeavors; and
	WHEREAS, The Parker Ranch can trace its beginnings to 1815, 
when King Kamehameha granted permission to John Parker to thin the 
herds of cattle that had populated Hawaii since the arrival of the 
first five head in 1793; however, it was not until 1832, when King 
Kamehameha III invited Spanish vaqueros from the mainland to visit 
the islands, that the Hawaiians learned the time-tested techniques 
of ranch management that had been developed by cowboys in South 
Texas in the late 17th century, long before the first cows, horses, 
or vaqueros had ever arrived on the fair islands of the 50th state; 
and
	WHEREAS, It has been wisely observed that imitation is the 
sincerest form of flattery, and the Texas House of Representatives 
humbly accepts the compliment that Hawaiians have paid to us by 
adopting the unique style of mounted herdsmanship that Texans 
perfected so long before 1832; we are glad that our achievements as 
cowboys and ranchers have helped to spur on Hawaii's own cowboys and 
ranchers, and we genuinely hope that the Aloha State will not 
hesitate to request further assistance from us in the future; and
	WHEREAS, All jesting aside, the cowboys of the past, whether 
vaquero or paniolo, mainlander or islander, would be immensely 
pleased to see their legacy live on in the hearts and minds of the 
cowboys of today, and our visitors from Hawaii can be justifiably 
proud of the fascinating and unique place that the Parker Ranch 
occupies in the history of these United States; now, therefore, be 
it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby welcome the staff of the Parker Ranch, "Hawaii's 
Cattle Kingdom," to the State of Texas and extend to them warmest 
best wishes for an enjoyable, informative, and productive visit; 
and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Parker Ranch as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.