The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-01-15
COnIrncIs-ASain.


Mr.. EDITOR You say that no reply has been
received to the suggestion, made by the Trades Asso-
citation, that the coolies should be returned to their
country at the expiration of their term of service. 1
can reply for no one but myself. Ihave no objection
whatever, if he wishes it, but it seems to me to be a
hard condition to impose, that he shall return. 1t is
true the employer has the right to state such a con-
dition and the employee to reject it if he chooses,
still it seems a hardship to require it. He seeks to
better his condition he cannot in his own country ;
hence he goes abroad. Now it may be better for
him to go abroad for II limited time, perhaps, than
anything he can do where he is, still the condition
that he shall return shuts up the door TO his hope of
advancement for the future. 1t seems to me very
much as if l wished to go to the coast to better my
condition. but could make no engagement except on
the condition that would return here as soon as it
was fulfilled. AS q condition it seems hard and
oppressive, even though l may feel compelled to
accept it Oh account of my present condition. What
l think to be right is, that the laborer should be left
free to do as he pleases after his contract is fulfilled,
to return or stay, as he feels that his interest dictates.
1t would seem to me n great hardship to have COM
peiied Aheong, the valuable Chinese Missionary, to
have returned after he had fulfilled his contract. 1
believe that all lawful contracts freely made, without
deceit, with such intelligence as God has endowed
men with, should be faithfully and honestly fulfilled,
and that the perverse and wicked refusal, without
cause, and to the injury of the other party, should
meet its just reward ; but I do not believe that
advantage should be taken of the circumstances of
any one to incorporate hard and oppressive condi-
tions upon either party, and such it seems to me
would be the condition of a compulsory return. AS
l believe that contracts freely made should be full
filled, so [ believe that laws which directly or indi-
recAy interfere with any PERSONS making any con-
tract. morally right and just, which he deems it for
his interest to make, are unjustifiable interferences
with personal freedom, and not consistent with
human rights, whether it is one opposed to the
specific fulfllment of contracts, or any other.
l will notice one or two other remarks of your edi-
torial. GThe writer is mistaken-it was the commu-
nication of Punch Bori.] You imply that laborers
coming here from China or elsewhere find themselves
deceived by reason of the high cost of living, which
they were ignorant of. 1t is true that living, or food,
is higher here than in China, but what difference does
it make to the laborer who receives it at the expense of
his employer? He will of course take it into the
account when he comes to consider the question of
staying in the country after his contract has been
fulfilled, and the expense must be his own. Cloth for
his wear is rs cheap here as in China. Upon some
plantations 1 know they cultivate a variety of yege-
tables for their own use and for sale, and whilst regu-
larly receiving their wages, buy very little of any
thing, so far as is known. For aught that | know, it
is true upon all of the estates which employ Chinese
laborers.
In regard to the reluctance of natives to labor
upon the plantations, after extensive opportunities
of observation, I think that it is not correct that
they are more unwilling to work upon plantations
than they always have been, or than they are to
work any where else, or than other people are to
work. Whilst the population has largely diminished,
there are probably rs many or more Hawaiians work
ing upon plantations to-day than ever before, and
doing it cheerfully, of their own free will, for the
wages which are paid, and which are all that can be
paid, for without advanced prices advanced wages
must result in giving up sugar cultivation, as the
income cannot meet the expenses.
The true reason why there is q dearth of Hawaiian
labor is the increase Of the planting interests from
some 1000 600 of pounds in nine or ten years to 10
or 20. 600. requiring from eight to ten times as
many men now as then also the additional fact that
more Hawaiian seamen are employed now than then,
and the advances offered are so great that the
planters cannot compete with the shipmasters and
agents. Of course, whilst more engage in the whal-
ing business and more pom plantations, it becomes
Tuore profitable for those cultivating food, for they
have a more certain market to feed those who cannot
cultivate for themselves. 1 am of the opinion that
in proportion to the number of Hawaiians. there are
more engaged in plantation labor than ever before,
and that there is no more reluctance to engage in
such labor noD than ever before. OF course, Hawai-
ians, like all others, will go where they can do the
best and if the whaling business enables them to
offer more, and the demand is greater than the
supply, it will get the labor instead of the planters.
1t is however true of the last fall, that the offers of
for plantations have in some places been
unusually free, but not ia the seaports. / have
never heard of any Hawaiian complaining that a
compromised his manhood any more than his en-
ployers, but he will readily admit that a perverse
refusal TO fulfill does prostitute his manhood. and
seals his dishonesty just as the same would do his
Of forced labor here l have never heard.
and know nothing any further than an occasional
arising under the law already considered.
- Our correspondent thinks that to impose
the condition suggested by the Trades Associa-
ton - 4. e., that the Chinese should be sent back
labor, unless they consent to rc-engage, is a hard
one. So we think and wish that g."
had based his opinion upon the grounds that a
writer in the Gazette has The carrying out of
such agreements would involve violations of
liberty and invasion of property rights; -
but we cannot but think that our sophistical
correspondent saw in the distance the imposition
a new tax upon the planting interest, in the
shape of return passage to the laborer. Was it
not a hard condition to impose to put before
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