The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-02-21
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 81.

tween the cDst of living and the compensation
Of labor l. greater. This remark l. ~I.rticu-
lIrly applicable 70 the S-apOrts, hUt Will never
theless apply % the country districts The
difference j. greater. Of course. with the native
l.borer than with the foreigner, from the fact
that the food Of the former Is Of the very sim
plest kind. Indigenous u the -,l. and costing
comparatively little. while the habits and mode
Of living. a. well Is The food Of the latter.
are more expensive. some, whose opinion has
weight, maintain that no great Improvement
in the cU.t Of labor can be expected, while our
population remains - small a. it now is Let
Us look further into this subject, for if We have
not the material % safely expand our industrial
capital and manufactures, it l. unwise for Us
70 e1yoa any improvement until some change
takes place in regard % labor.
The last census exhibits our population ut
Q $500. which gives Us q little more than eleral
persons to each square mile, allowing the area
Of our group u be. what it has been estimated,
5000 square miles. Like all mar countries,
our population i sparse, but not more 50 in
proportion 10 our area than others. California
po-sesscs q population Of less than three inhabi-
tants to the square mile. Oregon and Washing
ton Territory, show less than one inhaJitInt 70
the square mile. These States, however, possess
large areas, the population beng concentrated
mostly in and around the cities and villages.
For Il starting point, then, We are no worse off
than our neighbOrs. which like US have u sparse
population.
Our census gives the number Of males rs
81 .499, Of which it i estimated that about
% 500 are between the ages Of twenty and sixty
years, which may be reckoned on as comprising
our industrial male population. That Il large
proportion Of this number live in constant
idleneSs we all know; probably not one-half
are steadily engaged in any industrial pursuit.
81 long as the remaining half, (sly l2,OO0,)
who are virtually drones, can manage 10 live
on the other half, So long must labor COM
mand 4 higher price than the real interests Of
the Kingdom demand. The total number of
male labOrers connected with all our present
plantations alone, directly or Indirectly de-
irving their support from them, does not probably
exceed 1000. This will show that there is Il
portion of our population, small as
it Is, which under some circumstances might be
useful in developing the resources of the
Why, it may be asked, does this state of
exist, and why il this large portion Of
our lbLe-bodied population left to pass year in
and out in idlcness? There are several reasons
st.-The inherent natural disposition OF habit
Df the native IS ideHeSS or i%Herfia, which still
slings to the greater portion of them. ID
There Is Il want of some stimulus urging MIN
10 labor. Were Industrious foreigners settled
more thickly in every district, their etampIc
would be Il stimulus to the native, and in many
zlses they would, by their superior thrift and
Energy, provide work for him or purchase the
product Of his labor; in either case, melting
aim to renewed efforts. In various ways, the
and example of industrious foreigners
and teaches the native habits of industry.
Where a native can procure SfcGdy employment,
lie is generally willing to work for Il small sum.
I will therefore be seen that this brings Us To
he position we urged last week, that we have
Of an increase of intelligent foreign set
To locate among us, who by their exam
lie and industry might promote our general
and be Il great benefit to the natives.
Others say, oh, there's no use in trying
o encourage any new enterprises 50 long ~ the
ate of interest remains so high" But money.
4 every new country, commands Il premium,
T in other words, is Il scarcity. The only way
permanently reduce the rate of interest is
rst to introduce what produces money and
makes it plenty, viz intelligent laborers or set
Had we a population of SOC. 600 ma
ives, we should probably still have the same
ropOrtiOn of drOnes, OF perhaps much greater,
han we now have, because they would be- as {
now are, ignorant and incapable in IA great
Of creating capital or money by their
wn unaided labor. Simply importing money
-ould not Of itself remedy our troubles. Were
million Of dollars imported Tomorrow to be A.,
vested here, it would not remain six months :
nong us. unless u corresponding increase of a
,mpetent settlers or labOrcrs accompanied it. n
ie need capital, 1t is true. hut we need settlers v
ore, and these latter must prccedc the former. j
But how are We TO proceed to obtain this il
Not by Individual efforts, for these h
N never, under the circumstances, effect it.
year or two ago one of our most worthy q
sidents visited Europe, and while there was I
piled TO by numbers who were anxious 70 u
me out to these islands and make this king :,
IN their home. in preference To a country 50 =
-c~rfiowing with population. that existence there :,
~ like elbOwiaS ones way through 4 crowded
rong. Hes, said the gentleman, there Is land
abundance lying idle. there Is room for YOU Il
ID hundreds more, but | am not authorized h
hold out any inducements or make any 81
Omises. There are hundreds of acres on III
en- of our islands, where you can readily set y
and with q small outlay build a comfortable y
raise grain, or vegetables OF cane OF =
ton. or live stock. All that we ask, replied :
e inquircrs. is aid to get there. and some as =
rance that after VT arrive there, We can pro- N
re land and remain peaceably. h,
To open the way for settlers, properly belongs CO
the government. There never was a better ey
offered To any ministry in any tn
untry to initiate 4 really progressive move Al
and one that would give an impetus to cy
branch Of industry, and rebound to their te
sting honor, than that now held out. Other ca
seek to promote the prosperity Of III