The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-04-24

AMI with tlc Chinese discuss these things. The }la-
wai.aus read almost universally. aul the Chinese
and japanese upon this and other plantations are
learning 90 rad. and it is unfortunate for the peace
and prosperity Of the islands 10 teach them that
their rights are not regarded, whilst they are as
jevluu>Iv cuaricl under the law as those Of ans
other subjects or citizens II only requires If them
what honesty and justice demands. II they contract
g. labor and receive advances and instead CT fulfill
ing ran away, they are treated as dct'ulters and
compelled tu DO SIS they promised.
TAo subject is too important and serious 70 BE-
trilrt with The tendency ct such doctrines as are
promulgated uuou our labor system, IL Co break uI
and un-cttic every Industrial enterprise en- the ISL
auis. The system OF making advances 10 iAhorrrs
Is to he deprecated, but It was introduced by the
whalcrS, and the planters We're compelled to follow.
\ planter never would make AN advance II he could
help u. but he must have from fifty To- two hundred
laturcr~ arCouuu- tp the >lEc a. the plantation, or
he must give up his plantation. TO obtain these he
must advance about so Ia each man upon a years
contract. or about SO upon two years aud the
laborvr, like the sailor, too often eNpeudS II ~ once,
against all advice to the contrary. The planter loses
the interest on these heavy advances, and laborers
are not supposed to perform their duties with as
much alacUty when working 20 pay oil debts. - lar
the planter Is obliged 10 conform 70 a practice. intro
ducei 10y the whalers, which = detrimental 10 his IN
terest. But the laboreU knows that the law n0w
requires him TO fulfill his contract, and he knows the
law 10 be right. II he tries t. be dishonest, he
knows the law Is against him and | am happy
Ia say, that the great body % laborers of all classes do
not try to cvade their obligations. How It would be
ii they did not know that the law required the SpccI-
nc tulhllment Of their contracts, | TO not know. II
they knew that instead, their employers could only
sue them for damages, that "A hundred hands could
receive their advance, and then refuse To work and
cOolly tell their employer to sue, as they had nothing
to pay with, | fear il would unscttic all the industries
of the islands. Our q forced labor system consists
in laws requiring people to fulfill their contracts,
specifically. They are Just to both parties, and both
are equally protected by them, and he who tries To
throw oiium upon our system abroad As a scmi-slaTe
system. or to unscttlc il at home, unless he brings
something practically better, strikes n serious blow
at ercrg interest in the country, not the planting IN
tercst alone, but the coas;ing, the mercantile aud every
other one. 1t i easy to DO "a great deal OF mischief,
but not so easy To undo it. 1t l. easy TO kindlc a
great FIRE, but not so easy to quench 1t. ! usually
write Of principles and not persons; but the proml-
hence given TO myself in the last -ffrsTiiser has led
me to speak more of myself and others in this letter,
than | would have done but for that fact.
Respectfully Yours. SAN'L y. CASTLE.