The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-10-21
Labor ouessfon.

Mr.. EDITOR: A series of articles on the
aCoolie Question" /" Coolies and Slavery"
&c, have appeared during the last few weeks
as English articles in the Kifokoa newspepsr
edited by one Of the clergy, which have
certainly been supposed to be the expression
Of the views of at least few Of that class.
A leader in the P O. advertiser indig-
dignantly "defes the pointing out of an in
stance where the clergy have taken any part
in this discussion, or given occasion for any
such remarks, ,"-"t that the labor system on
these Islands Is heinous oppression and
wrong" &c. Who is responsible for the
publication in which these articles appeared,
If not one or more Of the clergy?
The attempt Of the advertiser to ring In
the whole body of American Missionaries as
responsible for its own and the KuokOd's
utterances, is but an unworthy trick to
stir up feeling of indignation In their
behalf, as If they were being maligned and
persecuted. It will not be believed by
any fair-minded person that they have been,
{.
question As body, they will be found
quietly and honerably minding their own
business; and 1t is wicked of the Advertiser
to bring them before the public in this con
nection, to create the feeling that they are
traduced and injured as class, and that ter
rible things will soon take place If the dis
cussion of the labor question keeps on. Its
remarks are but dodge, digression, side
issue from the main question.
We have examined the English articles Of
the Kuokoa, and infer the reason of their ap-
pearance to have been disapproval of the
views expressed In the AdvertiseT's plan Of
private enterprise for obtaining bonded Ia
borers The Kuokoa's platform purports TO
be that the whole system "should be abol-
ished and forgotten, the sooner the better;"
the coolie bonded-labor system differing
from slavery but in name We further find
in the course of Its articles the statement
(after wondering why so many Hawaiians
should be willing TO delve in the guano de-
posits, or risk exposure to the rigors of an
Arctic cruise,) that the planters are, in
measure, responsible FOR this state Of things,
because they are unwilling to give native
per month what a coolies hire amounts to.
This is an untrue statement, which the
planters will, generally, deny, as slander.
The Advertiser states that the writer in the
GAZETTE charges the clergy with endeav-
oring to keep the Islanders at home to
labor on the plantations, or to work as sery-
ants, which is incorrect; no such statement
having been made.
1t is admitted, we believe, by all who are
sound thinkers and practical men, that the
great requisite for the expansion of agricul-
ture on these Islands is CHEAP LABOR, and
that without this, or the advantage of Re-
ciprocity Treaty, the case will go hard with
many who are working on borrowed capital,
not to speak of those who have invested
their money for the improvement of the
country, or of business generally.
The Kuokoa opposes the importation of
bonded laborers to help the great needs of
the agriculturist, as being akin to slavery,
but it makes no practical suggestion how to
meet the difficulty by informing us where,
and in what manner, cheap labor can be OBJ
tanned, according to its own views of pro-
priety.
If the bondedlabor system, as practiced at
these Islands, differs from slavery only in the
name, the offense of the planters and others
holding such laborers, is as great at the
present time as it can be at future i'm
portation of coolies and logical morality de-
mands as imperatively that these so-calied
Slaves" should be set at liberty immedi-
ately, as it ever can at auy future time.
The moral consideration thrust npon the
planters by the press of "the clergy" that
they are encouraging a system akin to slav-
cry, is a taunt exceedingly provoking, and
smacks of true inquisitorial claim to govern
the consciences of their fellow men.
OBED.