The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-05-25

Two of these Coolies We're on the sick list
nearly all the time. Only 5,i0S days labor was
performed by the whole gang, equal to 2lG1 days
Yer man, or IL loss of nearly 100 days in the
year for each man. These Coolies cost the
planter, according 10 this table. STA % each.
On some other plantations the yearly cost ranges
from $3.50 to $40 per man.
Let us draw Il comparison. The fCO Nor
wcgian liborcrs cost on an average $lj0 Il year,
or $75 each, exclusive of food and clothing.
Trio Coolie laborcrs cost our planters, ut Il low
estimate, S225 10 Il year, or STA % each,
including food but not clothing. When it Is
rcmcmbcred-what Will scarcely be gnimsayed-
that the faithful labor of one such Northern
European, Will produce more in one day than
the labor of fire Coolies, and save the OK
pense of n field driver or ovcrSccr, the advan-
tages in favor of the European are very plainly
evident, to say nothing of the prospective adyan-
tagc to the Islands. Another thing should not
he forgotten, that the women of the laboring
classes in Europe are generally accustomed from
childhood to field labor, and arc considered as
efficient for many tasks as the men.
That it would cost Il triie more in the outset
to bring Germans or Norwegians To these Islands
than to land them in Texas, is no doubt true,
but not more than to land them i'll California.
TO offset any increased expense, contracts can un-
doubleday be made with them for five or more
years, and many would probably re-engage with
their employers, when treated faithfully, espe-
cially if land was given or sold to them i'll part
J:ry1nent for their labor, and inducements held
out to retain them. But even such as would not
re-cngage as aborers would generally settle in the
yi.ipir nnI a1l T., tho prn1urtiyp co pital f tho
kingdom.
The great objection to the Chinese CUoiie is
that after his short term of service has expired.
he rarely rc-engaSes on any terms or in any voca-
ton. lie leaves his employer, and seldom follows
any business that makes him IL valuable member
of the community. On the contrary he becomes
an idle wandering vagabond, a curse and an ex-
pcnsc - the country, if not Il candidate for the
chain-gang. Some legal provision must be made
To meet the case of these Coolies IL any more of
them are imported. \ law will be required COIN
pclling them 10 rc-engaSc in service for Il term of
years, or tn return To their own country, or enter
III the government public service, il found leading
n vagabond life, as hundreds of them now are.
We do not say what will be the best mode of
meeting the evil, but that some method will have
10 be devised, Is certain. These Coolies are inn
ported solely for laborers, and unless they show
n disposition To follow an honest calling, they
should be compelled to continue in the service
they enlisted III.
Aside from the matter of cost, there is not Il
planter who docs not have more or less of trouble
and vcxation with his COolie laborers. Some, on
this account, have to keep themselves armed for
scIfdcfcnse, and live in fear of attack from their
men. This arises, in many cases, from the I'M
ruly, refractory disposition of the laborcrs;
though, in some instances, it i attributable no
doubt to Il lack of Judgment in dealing with
them. The history of our plantations and of our
courts of justice, all go TO show that our Coolie
class Of humanity, but little elevated above the
brute creation. whom no efforts can christianizc
or civilizc. This Is not the element which Il wise
and fostering government should introduce into
th.e kingdom or seek TO infusc into the blood and
life of its people.
We think the case Is clearly stated in this arti-
showing that any further importation of
is unwisc, and that though they meet
temporarily the demand for labor. the country
not receive the permanent benefit from them,
it Is likely to derive from Europeans.
In order to test the question, arrangements can
be made, through some of cur mcr,7in-
tile houses having European connections. to
land one hundred Germans or Norwc-iaus dtr ins
TIC next twelve months.
And \ rIcrc l. any disposition To- move in the