The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1879-07-16
The Contract Advance system.


Mr.. EDIroR-Hov much has been said and written
on this subject. Can anything more be said? But
the system of paying an advance on q contract for
labor is confessedIy bad aud works evil. Is it
necessary system? If so, there is nothing more to
Re said, but it is intolerabe.
1t is supposed by some that as things are IL /,
cessary for the permanenee Of the labor supply on
sugar plantations, without which they cannot be
successfully carried on. Growing crops of cane re-
quire constant care and TO secure the manufacture
of sugar at the best time, requires labor under the
immediate and complete control of the master. To
such control labor contracts are necessary.
But the practice of prepayment vtates the contract
and tends to make the laborer bad man. He is se
cure of his money whether he ful6s his contract or
not unless cOerced by law to perform it, But civil
action can do nOthing usually the aborer has moi
ing on which you can levy. Thc return for money
advanced must be taken out of his body il at ALL by
criminal process. The has sold his services and
taken his pay in advance, and his services belong to
the purchaser. The purchaser must get them. And.
as rule, the laborer yields them unwillingly Tbey
not hearty the aborer does try TO secure the
good of his employer; be has no object in doing SO.
His onv care is to get rid of the obligation he has
incurred and in accord with his stock of cunning
and want of conscience he will defraud his eu poyer.
Such is the whole tendency Of the system. over.
must be employed and paid get the work out
OF the employee best they may, and all sorts of
practices are resorted to for that purpose.
To change this bad system law must step in II
never be done by unity of action on the mart of
employers while some are mean enough try to in.
duce aborers to leave the plantations where they are
employed, to work for them. What law has alrcad v
done is, first, offer a premium for lying no mans
word is binding unless written down on government.
stamped paper. i. e. it is not actionable at law.
Sec"nd. it forces the prepaid laborer fulfill his con
tract by declaring the failure to do so a crime, and
Furnishing dinghy. Contract laborers therefore
become debased ciass-in fact, self-m ade slaves.
But such law is necessary things now stand.
Without it very large proportion of the aborers
now employed by contract and prepaid would utterly
refuse to fu fill their contracts Then once bust.
would stand still. This state of thin
j, much to our discredit abroad.
There is not much doubt that nine. tepths of the
planters would abandon the system to day did they
not know that tie other tenth would take advaptag
of such action to secure for themselves nearly all tn
laborers in the islands. very large proportion
the laboring class are always pilikia-.'hard up "
and ready for anything which offers nomentary r..
lief. And so it would be almost anywhere in the
world, if such were the practice.
It is the lsborer's policy not to have property
which can be levied on Men generally in all land.
well elsewhere and would work well here. Labor is
the great commodity which, in this market, brings
money. Let us see the commodity and then pay for
1t. The present stem gives premium for cheating
and defrauding-which seems to be the great bust
ness of most contract labOrers. This practice is
growing worse.
1t is notorious that aborers are doing less wear by
year for their money becoming more and more au-
daeious in their swindling. How long such system
can last without general break down. we shall see,
unless it is changed soon. The whole study of the
employee is 10 see how little he oan do. And that
question has been worked out here as nowhere else
by natives and Cinnamon.
The Chinaman, noted the world over for his in
dustry, comes here Rsd is demoraized by this sys.
TEN becoming an adept in doing the smallest posi-
BILE amount of work by which his prepaid contract
can be shufied through He therefore becomes an
undesirable member of the Community having but
little fellow feeling with any other civilized nation
lacking very generally in public spirit, and being
reckless of the welfare Of his feow-men. His one
grand quality of industry is spoiled here by the pre-
payment system. The Overseer needs of iron
to bear the consciousness that every laborer under
him is exercising his ingenuity to thwart his Efforts
to MAINTAIN the interests of his employer. If mis-
take not, the most important employees on planta-
tons do not receive advance. line is thus draw
which must be felt invdous distinction. The
present system is followed in self-defence, not be-
cause it is considered a good one.
How can ii be changed? 1t must be done by the
enactOn of such laws will work its total and sDeed
extinction. ANY how this may be done ;
but it may require astuteness to do it in the
best manner and with the least sacrifice. Employers
now put up their money as gamblers do, with only 4
little less risk of losing it, A written contract no
one will condemn. Without payment in advance,
and with accumulation Of credit. the laborer will
strive for the interest Of mis- employer better than any
threatened penalty, or any vigant overseer can
force him to do. Nne-tenths of the litigation be-
tween master aud servant will disappear for the
lien of the laborer the property of his employer
will secure the fullment of the contract on the part
of the employer and the credit of the laborcr in the
hands of the employer, depending his faithful OBJ
in securing faithful service, if anything do it.
The labor question is which is vital 10 the in
terests of business in these islands; it cannot be
shufied of. put side, or slurred over. 1t must
be looked squarey in the face, examined the core
and any rottenness must be exposed. Earnest N en-
do not wish trife with it. And as far as proba.
bes at present go the question of prepayment will
not be affected by the introduction Of very many
more laborers from abroad 1t is not safe to defer
its consideration from auy cause. In this paper the
subject is viewed only in its business aspects its
moral bearings merit serious consideration.
1t is ardently to be-expecte that in few years,
if the world stands so long, men will look back
upon this state of thugs now look back on the
scenes of the Salem wichcraft, the persecution,
under Nero. EDWARD BAILEY.
Waiuku, July s, 1879.