The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-10-12
Inducements to immigration.
WAGES.

The encouragement which we are able to offer TO
immigrants seems to be properly divided into three
kinds, which may be classed as wages, homesteadS
and citizenship.
These three inducements are our stock in trade. If
we are to repeople our islands and perpetuate our
own institutions, it must be through the combined
influence of these different attractions. The demand
for labor alone cannot be depended on to effect any
wide or permanent results toward this end. But,
supplemented by the easy attainment of homes, an
interest in the soil. made of a still higher value by
the privileges Of citizenship, n strong preference for
this country will be developed which will stimulate
immigration and ensure Its future success and
growth.
Under the head of wages we find two somewhat differ
ent methods of engaging labor, both practiced here,
which il may be profitable for us to compare together;
these are, the common labor system in which the labor
ers generally under written contracts are paid daily or
monthly wages. and the cooperative system, in
which they have a joint interest in the crop with the
employer.
In regard to the old system which has been in vogue
from the first extensive experiments in sugar culture,
1t IS unnecessary to say much. In the storm of
debate with which it's different features, favorable
and unfayOrable, have been honored during late
years. it is scarcely possible but that the public mind
is informed about it to n reasonable degree. 1t may
perhaps be regarded as a natural growth under our
past circumstances, our needs, our somewhat limited
resources, and our want of experience. Its abuses
crept in quite unavoidably, and the more easily as
its laws were made too early, before experience had
shown exactly what was wanted and what was 20 be
guarded against. 1t is the system which has given
TO employers the burden of heavy advances and pre-
miums on labor and their attendant risks, with the
naturally resulting lazneSS on the part of prepaid
hirelings, while to the laborers it has imposed the
hardship of imprisonment for non-fulhllment of con-
tract, and other seventies which such u feature would
render inevitable. 1t is the system under which
labor contracts have been transferred to new employ
ers, and even sold at auction TO the highest bidder
without consulting the preferences of the wOrkmen
bound under them. Still with all these defects, it is
the g best system we have had yet" as its enthusi-
aStIe SunOOrteFS are fond of SaVlnp. and nS II Is the
only labor system that we have ever tried in a ma
tional way, the depth and force of that remark is
easily recognized. With this method of engaging
work, 1t Is t--O-that we have made considerable adj
vance in agricultural production, but at the same
time, there is no doubt but that it contains much that
is unsatisfactory, both to employers and employed;
that it is promotiye of a certain amount of distrust
between them, that the cost of labor under its work
ings is very great, and that on the whole it's results
both commercially and socially are not all that could
be desired. That the Objectionable features of this
system are not absolutely necessary to its successful
workings, will hardly be denied, especially in view of
the fact that they have been much modified and di-
unfinished in the last three or four years. At present,
our contract laborers are, as a rule, highly paid, well
fed and cared for, and treated perhaps according to
their behavior as well as they deserve, sometimes
better.
The cooperative system of engaging employment,
though it may be called only an experiment here, is
in some cases a successful experiment. As it has
been tried it contains elements of sound, practical
wisdom and justice, which promise to establish the
cooperative principle in some form, extensively over
the group. 1t is lot probable that it will ever en-
tirely supersede the practice of hiring by direct
wages, nor is it desirable that it should. But in
many circumstances it seems so favorable and so
evidently superior to the former method, that it will
doubtless become more and more popular as its work
ings are better known.
This cooperative system. as its name implies,
consists in an association of interest by the en-
ployer and the employed in the results of the en-
terprise. If this can be accomplished upon a pruc-
tical basis the advantages are clearly evident.
Every workman becomes Il shareholder. whose
labor is his capital invested in the enterprise the
amount of his returns is dependent upon his indus
try and his iaithfulness in his trusts. All the col
ditions are in favor of the diligence, watchfulness
and economy of the laborers as well as OF the en-
plOyer. while the Objectionable features of the other
system are almost entirely wanting.
The experiments which have been made under this
idea seem TO have realized these conditions. One
arrangement Of this kind has lately been made be-
tween the firm of G. Brewer * Co., for Wailuku
Plantation, aud ten or q dozen Cinnamon. in which
the former agree TO furnish. say one hundred acres
of land. dwelling houses, tools and implements for
cultivating the soil. seed, &c., and advance monthly,
enough money to keep the men in food and cloth
ing, charging interest for the same. and that they
will cart the cane to the mill, charging therefor two
ffths OF the cost, that they Will manufacture the
sugar with their own labor. and will allow them
two-fftbs OF the yield. The men agree TO do all the
labor connected with the cultivation of a specified
lumber of acres OF cane, from the breaking up the
land till it is carted to the mill. This seems to be
a very advantageous agreement for them, and
doubtless will prove so to the employers.
= The firm of Chulan 4 Co, who are extensively
engaged in the cultivation Of rice. having several
plantations in operation on the different islands,
have adopted a similar plan in regard to their work
men. and with great success. They give the men
One-half of the net profits. and advance them IN the
meantime food and clothes. As a result the men
work early and late, and carefully watch the mu-
tual interests of themselves and their employers.
and both are far better satisfied than they ever were
under the old system. These enterprises under the
cooperative principle are working so well, and
promise so favorably, that this plan will by degrees
be more extensively introduced. /!
Thus We End with these two systems that we can
make very favorable offers to a limited number of
laboring men to ONE to our shores. Under the
first and at present the most universal. they will re-
ceive high wages. good care and treatment, together
with some other circumstances undoubtedly obJec-
tionable to an AnglO-SaXOn mind, but which would
not make any insurmountable obstacle to unsophist-
icated Mongolians or Malays. And under the
second. which Will come more largely into the field
hereafter, they will have opportunities OF making
most advantageous terms. In either case the life
they take up here Is immensely superior in a mate
rial sense TO the life they leave behind. Under
these circumstances there is no doubt but that with
our presentdemand for labor. men would come from
China or Japan fast enough if q passage was pro-
vided for them.
As an inducement 10 an immigration that shall be
steady and permanent. and shall sufficiently rein
force our population. this demand for labor cannot
be relied upon by itself; but It stands foremost rs
a strong and indispensable auxiliary to this great
work upon which our future depends.
5. 1. Dole.