The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-04-28


and its production is attended with very
heavy expense of labor, both in growing the
cane and its manufacture into sugar, and, in
order to embark in it, there must be some
reasonable assurance that the requisite labor
can be relied upon. If this cannot be, no
one can embark in it with safety, and this
almost only branch of productive industry
must fail. The law comes in here to assist
| the producing interests, and makes labor more
reliable. By requiring every able-bodied man
| TO work, who agrees TO do so. BE is at per-
/ feet liberty TO agree to work or not; but if he
agrees to work, and is able TO do so, but re-
| fuses, the law treats him as delinquent
as dishonest, for refusing to do right. It
| does not allow him or them 10 refuse to work,
TO the injury and perhaps ruin, of their en-
| ployer, and he to have no redress except to
sue them for damages. The law is rendered
the more essential here as the making advan-
ces, TO laborers, who are generally the hold
ers of less property than the law exempts
from seizure for debts, compels the employer
to give a credit of some thirty or forty dol
lars TO each man, without any show or pros
pect of payment except by his services, and
if he were not legally bound to render the
se1yice agreed upon, it would make labor,
which is so essential, so uncertain, that no
man would dare TO enter upon an enterprise,
the success of which depended upon it, and
requiring from five hundred to five thousand
dollars advances, if he cannot enforce his
right to the labor voluntarily stipulated for,
or recollect his money. for thus none could
be collected.
The ahrogation of this law would tend to
the breaking up of all of our industrial
enterprises, and every other; all being de-
pendent on these, it would paralyze our
prosperity. For example: the laborer would
be without employment; he would raise
his kalo, and catch his fish from the sea
to feed himself; but where, and in what,
could he find any regular employment to
clothe and feed himself and his family, to
gather about him any of the comforts of civ
ilization, brought by the Christianity which
he has learned. To supply his food, might
occupy one third of his time; the remaining
two-thirds, he would be without any certain
or regular employment, and would be taking
lessons in the school of Incidence and vice.
Would this be blessing TO him? Would it
not be curse? Under the present law, sus-
tanning the present system, one. third of the
population finds constant employment in rails
ing food for the lchole, while the other two
thirds find constant employment in raising cane
for the export of sugar, which brings in re-
turn, all the necessaries, and many of the
comforts and luxuries of life. A ready mar
ket for the surplus food raised by those en-
gagged in this business, is found in the wants
of those otherwise employed, and the pro-
ceeds from the sales, go to contribute to their 4
comfort in various ways, and enable them to
give to worthy and religious objects, if they
wish to do so; and so the wages of the plan |
tation hands will be used in like manner,
according to each ones inclination; and be-
sides, and not less important, it gives to al,
the great and unspeakable blessing of con-
slant and hopeful industry, instead of an
aimless life of incidence, tending only to
vice. Thus are the laboring population ben
Gifted.
The benefit to the whole eoasting business
IS as direct, for without the plantations,
whence would come the fifteen or twenty
thousand tons of freight, which sustains this
pfarast O+bar ;p+orae+e 4bo,rrb Io,. 5;roa+ !
y, are not less really benefited, than those
lamed. To illustrate: an owner Of cattle,
before the plantation era was inaugurated,
old many of his cattle for five dollars head,
IT for their hides and tallow; after this era,
lie sold two hundred head at twenty dollars
piece, for butchering and working cattle.
Without these enterprises, the merchant
ould sell but few goods, because there
would be but little money TO buy with So
With agriculture, but especially in this
ountry, sugar producing forms the basis
f the material prosperity of the country.
ives work to the laborer on land, and
he coaster on the sea; to the mechanic
nd builder, to the machinist and engi- {
eer, the carpenter, blacksmith and wheel g
fright, to the sugar-boiler; to the capitalist, l
he use of his funds in establishing enterpris- t
5, and in building vessels to carry the freight;
D the merchant, the sale of his goods, by /
living to Others the means Of buying; and
lese enterprises so important to the coun- q
Us prosperity, cannot be established or car
ed forward without some assurance, some '
egree of certainty of procuring the labor, II
hich is their life, and the law which helps e
lis end without inflicting individual wrong, r
hich only requires what is right, is bles- a
ne to all concerned. Fl
1t seems TO me then, that the specific con- v
act law, here at least, is necessary and good, b
hatever it may be elsewhere, and in other II
'untries; that without it, labor cannot be 81
ade sufficiently reliable to warrant those h
lterprises so essential to our prosperity. ft
But is it oppression? Does not every la a
,rer who agrees to work, do so voluntarily, p
ID for his own interest? Is his superior or =
'erseer allowed to strike him one blow with d
lpunity? Is he over-worked, abused, ILL., 81
q, or hardly-used? There is but one kind IS
constraint that may force him to agree TO d
ork, and that is: without working, being al
thout means, he may feel compelled to m
ork or starve; but having made his agree Il
ent voluntarily, or even under such con- c.
raint, having received his advance upon the Y
tn Of services 10 be rendered, ought be not nj
be required to fulfil his part of the con- m
let if he is able? If he is disposed to be k,