The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-06-09
Sugar and Labor.
II z. C. Aduerfiser:

To the Editor Of the p. c. Advertiser:
sIz-The statements made by others as well as myself in
the papers respecting the large yield of the sugar cane, in
some cases and locations, though true, would not be a safe
basis upon which to engage in the culture OF cane and manu-
facture Of sugar. The cases named are exceptional, and any
one entering into the business expecting an average yield o.
from four to Eve tons per acre will be likely to be disappointed
From two to three tons per acre is a good yield. and as large
as il Is safe to expect.
: The soil, however, is rich, and where there is sufficient rain
water, for irrigation, with proper cultivation and care, a
GOOD crop may reasonably be relied upon the yield, in some
locations and some seasons, reaching the highest figures
PANIED.
The great obstacle, however, to the increase of the sugar
production Of the islands, will not be the want of a prolific
soil, or the capital necessary, but the lack Of labor, without
which, soil and capital must lie unused.
To Improve our advantages We need not only intelligent di-
fectfon, but bone and sinew to be directed. The price fIabor
has already advanced in the full ratio Of the price of sugar
copssauent upon the treaty. but if labor were abundant it
He coNJ se<n a1yapce without disaster or detriment to
she enterprises themselves, unless they werO saved by an ex-
cessive yield, which could not be hoped for without the high
guilty On rendered possible by abundant labor.
The failure and unproftableness Of many plantations in the
past, when both sugar and labor were low, show that with the
ordinary yield, the prices received were not enough to pay the
expenses, low as the rates Of labor werej if they had been they
would not have failed, and the Improbable ones would have
been profitable, just to the extent of the income over and
may be presumed TO have been SO, because they have had only
so only BY the extraordinary yield II, then, tae advance on
labor and in other expenses equal the ratio Of the advance on
1GE9[' ., = eiS aness The yield is increased, which can only be
hoped for BY a sufficient supply Of water from rain !; or irriga-
Further advance in the price Of sugar cannot be hoped for,
snSaT- can be borne only By those plantations which give ex-
frsondInAry yields, The advance in The price Of sugar under
the advance in labOrers wages has not been less than sixty TO
Otber plantation expenses, however, have not advanced; but
machinery, which constitutes a large item, has declined. so
price ef sugar is Offset BY these advantages. II this be so, the
n a half 2 acre is left In about the same condition OF I'M
proatabIeneEs as il was before the treaty. The hopes. then,
Weld without a corresponding increase Of expense; and expert
ence shows that Ibis Can be done if a little additional labor
can be secured, but at present This cannot be had in the cCun-
try. and planters realizing this, and under the pressure OF their
borsl n they succeed, q double injury is inflicted; the per-
sonal loss Of their neighbor, and an advance IN wages, which
are n, already as high a IS the CONDITION o m01 o Inc n'A
what the necessities OF the country demand, is an increase
in Ihs quantity and not in the price of labor. Where two
hands are needed, the want can not be supplied by doubling
without Increasing the Quantity OF labor is detrimental to the
employer and employees are deprived Of their means Of living.
enough u il 70 carry on. ehisienty, tEe enterprise. under way,
n reouiring labor, which can only succeed by Gripping the
old, unless we can soon increase our labor.
of this want, the introduction Of families. Men alone will
meet the immediate and most pressing Tan r. oGs :. G e q sr sano
of a general principle that humsn experience has taught US
The permanent good Of the country Gala for families. Illus
bands and wives and children, 10 NEE, n H /; T am ,i ~
AAA HULL $500
the government eau do it more efectually and speedily than
indiTiduai.. and no time il TO be lost, as the want is immedi-
ate. Individuals negotiating with foreign powers would be
Obliged 10 do 50 through the government, which could better
negotiate for Itself as principal, and IN no other enterprise
would IL be more justified in assuming responsibility than In
this. With no other is its prosperity so intimately identified
a. with this; for what ayails the improvement OF harDors and
roads and irrigsting canals II you have not the labor required
To develop the products Of the country 10 bring into use
these auxiliary improvements to industry, the main one!
To meet any expenses incurred by the Introduction oil
tbe.e Immigrant families, the government could assess upon
tha planters who employed them, a reasonable charge IN the
drat INSTANCE; but the additional taxes on persons, and IN
crease Of vsscs f cultivated lands by productive industry,
would become Z source of permanent revenue TO The country.
Every consideration Of policy should stimulate the government
10 immediate action in this direction
From whence can the labor as stated be supplied, II an im-
rortant question TO be answered. | spprehend that IL VIII not
bs exeIusiyeiy supplied by any one countrv.-Thel Isles OF the
Pacific. China, Japan and India, may all contribute their
onota I presume, but tie hardy PeasantTy OF the north and
eesntral parts Of Europe seem 10 me to osef ;Ee most desirable
ro-snlation 10 meet our wants. They have earned G reputation
- bsrdy industry, honesty, sobriety and good order, to be
envied aud If they are as good as their reputation, they are
lust what we want And the changs from those over-poPulated
mr. where IL is SO hard 10 obtain LIES necessares, by
Sheir almost exsfiiou, will be a grateful and beneficial one 10
- Other and more effective agencies by government or
1SanIe nav be in operation for the supply of labor, but II so, l
80 no knowledge Of tnem. and feeling the urgency Of the
So I have offered the foregoing thoughts for the considera-
- ~ vour readers and the government.
Yours truly s. n. CASTLE.