The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-09-13

the number OF laborers In the country shall be
equal 10 the demand. so that we may be privileged
to keep the good and refuse the bad. no planter
will object to any legal and proper .srestrictions-
the Government may be pleased to make upon
immigration from China or elsewhere. Bat that
the labor required on a sugar plantation can ever
be supplied by any race who would be desired on
account OF their intelligence is I think a fal.esy.
The experiment Of employing white men In the
cane neids has been tried under the most favorable
circumstances by Capt Makee aud others, aad
resulted IN utter failure. The work OF producing
a crop Of sugar cane Is very different from the
farm cork OF the United States or Europe. e.
peelaliy upon irrigated plantations must the labor
be performed almost entirely by hand We can
not water. cultivate. strip. or cut the cane By
machinery. and the labor IL that sort Of d,ssdoerv
against which the nature Of the white man rebels.
9 Main strength aud stupidity" form the basis Of
plantation labor, aud when the cost OF that labor
Is increased the price Of the article produced must
be raised, or the plantation will be s'driyen 10 the
wall.n
This does not prevent our employing skilled
labor in positions where the better educated mind
OF the white man places him above the compeu-
ton Of the Chinaman. l end more trouble In get
ting good white men TO do the work than In pro-
viding the work for them TO do. Competent men
for Lunas at 81 TO 81 per day are not to be found
so readily as one might suppose judging from the
reports IN your paper of the numbers being driven
out of employment by the Cinnamon. Nor do
mean to say that the time will never come when
our fields will be cultivated by other than Chinese
labor.
When laboring men. with families accustomed %
work. shall come to this country and desireeo cuf-
uYate our lands on shares. l Tor one will be ready
to give up Chinese labor and ''accept the amend
ment." l will divide my plantation among AZ many
good working men as IL can support, giving them
q proportion fully equal 80 what II costs me 20
raise the cane. as soon rs / can be assured OF their
abiiity to produce u crop. But 4 cannot give up
my labor and let the mill stand idle waiting for
the change. / therefore propose 10 you and your
correspondent IN. o. NJ" that instead of trying 10
drive away or check the only labor that Il IL at
present practicable to obtain, you shall show US q
remedy whereby we may better ourselves. and at
the same time please you. IL practicable I will
follow your advice and have no doubt others
will also. But please do not misrepresent us
abroad. where we have neither time nor means to
undecieve your readers as to the real condition Of
our labor.
i cannot close this letter without expressing NV
thanks to His Majesty's Ministry and especially His
fExcellency the Minister OF the Interior and the
Honorable Board OF Immigration for the efforts
made by them TO bring laborers TO this country
under terms satisfactory TO all parties. For the
work they have done and the efforts they have
made. they deserve the respect OF every well
wisher of Hawaii aud any insinuations TO the
effect that they are blind 10 the beat interests Of
this country will fail 10 find favor with those OF
your readers upon whom the country can most
rely. Yours truly, dc,
z. s. SPALDrSe.