The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1872-10-16

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ting of of pay day.
Before we determine to shape the policy of the
{ Government TO the requirements of the sugar
grower, it mag be well to consider how far the
sugar estates have been instrumental in building
up the wealth and position of the State. l think
it will be generally admitted that to the shipping
which entered our ports in the earlier years oil
our career we owe the ability to establish sugar
estates. We all know that Hilo, Lahaina and
Honolulu were built from the profits of our bust
ness with the same shipping, and we know too
that Hilo and Lahaina have shown evidences oil
decay dating from its withdrawal. It is now nd,
mitted that the cause OF the stagnation which
has seized upon every branch of industry in this
city is due TO the loss Of the whaling feet
We may fairly reason then, that the success Of
has been directly and IN large part, dae to the
shipping which has visited our ports that sugar
has borne very Insignificant part in the solution
of the question of ways and means" In other
words, that the decadence and Withdrawal Of the
whaling feet has brought US to a stand in spite of
sugar. With this evidence before as can we con-
cede that the importation of Chinese or japanese
labOrers to large extent is to be the iniallbe
remedy for every evil enumerated in your cores
pondent's letter? | cannot build such hopes
upon the enlargement of our sugar enterprises.
We all recognize the necessity of doing the best
that may be for our remaining prop-the sugar
interest but the experience of other sugar
growing countries will not warrant the belief that
the Importation of numbers OF ignorant, semi
civilized laborers will add to the stability of pri-
vate or public institutions, more particularly the
latter.
Touching the precedence OF terms of the sub
! juct under discussion, it is of course understood
that any part that the Government is expected to
take will be based on legislative action particu-
larry in the matter of supplies. 1t must have
been patent to any who paid attention to the
course of the Legislature that the proposition to
appropriate sum Of money to encourage the i'm.
migration of coolies, selected simply with refer
euce to labor was very unpopular; in fact, it
might be said the proposition was secuted. The
composition Of the late Legislature was as friendly
to the planting interest as any that will be
elected in time to come. so that proposition to
increase the laboring class of the Kingdom must
aim at something above the Importation of
coolies, numbered from J." to 63O or higher
as the case may be. The Hawaiian is not the
dulard that too many are pleased to believe him.
In spite of the assertion that the Introduction of
foreign laborers does not aim at his dlsplace-
ment, he sees that this is the practical working
of the matter The native knows too that the
imported man comes alone, and that in large
majority of cases he forms no alliance with the
native woman except OF the very loosest descrip-
ton, And believing the instruction impaired to
him by his pastor and teacher, he knows that
this bodies no good to individual or state.
Knowing this / am confident that to meet the
hearty support of the public at large the question
of population must take precedence of labor at
least in any legislative action that may be neces-
sary.
In view of the fact that the large majority of
His Majestys subjects have no interest in the la
Dor question" unless it is a negative one the two
questions will have to be acted upon separately
Public interest aud action will support the one
while the other must depend upon individual
acton and support.
The question of population is one that will ad-
dress itself to the next Legislature, to meet in
1874 aud it is expected that the Government
will have a plan matured, ready for final action
In the meantime the question OF labor will claim
the attention of the Chamber of Commerce. as
has already been suggested, and any plan that
they may digest for importing labor viii by pro
vision of law, be compelled to pass Tor approval
before the Board of Immigration
Touching the preference recently manifested
for japanese laborers, i; is to he hoped that it is
based upon better grounds than being the only
alternative left our planters. Recognizing the
important part that woman bears in the question
of population, l have thought it pertinent TO
quote from the letter of an American lady a
missionary in Japan, the estimation In which !
women are held by the men we desire to intro.
duce for the purpose of amagamation with the
natives g" Though women here are treated much |
more kindly than in many heather countries
they are continually made to feel that they are /
much inferior to men. In one of their books the /
husband is compared to the heaven, and the wife |
to the earth under bis feet. In another he is .
called the day and she the night; for, no matter
how cloudy the day may be, in the deepest re-
cesses 1t is light but in the night if the moon
shine ever so brightly there still bright spots.
At another time these women are told that,
though they may have every beauty, grace and
virtue, they still inferior to the lowest man
that can be found If man walks out with his
wife during the day, which he is rather ashamed
to do, she always walks behind him like a servant
If they go out at night she walks before him with
a lantern to light the path Of her lord. When
they have guests the woman usually waits at the
table and afterwards takes her meals alone"
Just here it might be interesting, if not impor.
tant, to know how many marriages have taken
place between the Japanese already imported
aud native women. Does anybody know of one ?
So that although | may accept the statement
that the importation Of laborers of this class
solves for so much the question of population,
must accept it for so much and nothing more.
!
(Communieated.(-No. 3.
Hawaii Nef.