The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-12-08
The Labor Question.

9EDrroR GAZETTE I'm the opinion of MANY, the
matter of obtaining Hindu immigrants has not
received due consideration from the Island public.
We are aware that there are serious difficulties
to be overcome as well as complications to be
avoided i'll carrying the enterprise through to a
successful issue but are these difficulties really
insurmountabe Has there not been too much of
disposition to magnify difficulties rather than to
help forward the enterprise
Our industrial operations are suffering seriously
for the want of cheap and reliable labor
The introduction of Norwegians, Portuguese
Germans and South Sea Islanders is deserving of
all praise, and will satisfy, in measure, our i'm
mediate pressing demands; but the relief will be
merely temporary and the supply at best, entirely
inadequate to the requirements of the times
The European portion of this labor cannot be
relied on as permanent help in our agricultural
operations, but will, ere long-be diverted into
other channels.
Judging from the present outlook, we will have
to rely mainly, in the future, on Chinese labor
The question for to decide is will this give us
the cheap and reliable labor we SO much need 1t
is said that a great many Cinnamon are coming to
this country, and that this will soon result in
marked reduction in the price of labor Let us
not be too sanguine on this point. If the Chinese
are to constitute the bulk of our laborers in the
future, doubt very much whether the introduc
ton of even thousands of these people, will pro-
duce any marked reduction in the present price
paid for labor.
Could we contract with these people in China
as formerlyat stipulated rates and for long terms
OF service, the case would be very different but
coming here free immigrants, they arc assisted by
the Chinese already on the ground i'll maintaining
the present price of labor.
John Chinaman thoroughly understands the
principles of Trade Unions and the Chinese are
not wanting in org mutations among taem selves to
maintain the present price of labor. That such
or ganizations exist among the Chinese, / know to
be fact. 1t is a matter of vital importance with
the Chinese laborers already at the Islands, that het
present price paid for labor be maintained; and,
in ord er TO secure this they support hundreds of
their countr ymen who are out of employment
rather than let them work at reduced rates.
In conversation with intelligent Chinaman
who is himself engaged in the sugar business, |
asked him how long this state of affairs could last
a time would not come when the influx of
Chinese labor would be great that it would be
impossible to maintain these wages "No" saws
he, " these Islands TOO near to the California
coast Wages there for Cinnamon are alwa VS.
good even III the hardest times. As soon as there
are more ChInamen here than can be employed at
present rates the surplus will go to California
Wages will never be much lower here at the Islands
| than they are now" This is the substance of
/ Johns remarks to me, and, | think that they af
| ford food for reflection.
Another element of danger in the emplovment
OF Chinese 49, that they will not contract to labor
! Tor any length of time without first receiving a
large cash advance, and having obtained this ad-
vance, they desert. The country is full of these
bounty jumpers" There is scarcely a planta-
ton on the Islands but what has lost more or less
Chinamen i'll this way, and it is almost impossible
| to identify and secure them again. Their secret
societies, of which have already spoken aid and
assis hem IN eiuding the otheers of Justice. For
instance, planter on Maui who had lost number
! OF Cinnamon, hearing thar they were at certain
! locality on Hawaii, sent for them. The party who
went on this FOOLS errand, afterwards ascertained
| that, no sooner had he set foon on Hawaii than
his presence was telegraphed among the Chinese
| all over the Island.
Formerly, when the Chinese population on these
Islands was sparse, had bus little difficulty in
catching runaway Cinnamon, but melancholy has
| been the change; and am satisfied that. as the
number of Chinese increase, the difficulty in ap-
I pretending runaways will also increase.
Well. suppose to avoid this evil, we refuse to
| snip Cinnamon, but employ them by the day
| what then! Parties here on Maui have tried this
to their sorrow and disgust. 1t has proved suicidal
not only to the employers themselves but has done
more to disorganize and demorallze our labor than
any other one thing. On estate there were
some two hundred and fifty men employed in this
way. 1nese uay nanuS were masters OF the Sltu-
atom and they knee it, and were not slow to trv
| It. When they struck for higher wages the en-
ployer was polrcrfess to refuse the demand, and
was obliged-from the force of circumstances-to
make the concession; and so wages have gone ND
within ths last year. from $l2 and SIS month TO
| $25 and S35 month.
The history of sugar production throughout the
world goss to prove that. to mike success of the
business il is absolutely necessary, not only to
have cheap labor but that this labor he under abso-
] lHte coHfyoi.
| advocate the introduction of East India Ia
borsrs in large numbers, if it can be done without
too much expense and without political complica-
tions-on the ground that this class of immigrants
alone viii prove an Offset to Chinese labor in this
Il country.
With the introduction OF East India Iaborers.
IN sufficient numbers, the Chinaman will be power
less to keep up the rate Of wages. Aside from be-
ing measure OF vital importance to our sugar in
/ terests- this would prove also safeguard to the
country II is not safe or healthy for the country
to allow the Chinese to become numerically su-
perior 20 the other III the rHInedy needed Is
20 be found in the Introduction Of large numbers
of HinduHs trust that all those interested Will use
their best endeavors to have this class 5f people
brought to this country with al Little delay al
4 possible. SAMUEL r. A1EzAanzH.