The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-10-25
The Labor Question.

HAwAu, October 10th, 1882.
EDTToR GAZETTE Having had slight expert
ence of the different kinds of plantation laborers
l should be glad if you will allow me through the
medium of your columns TO point out the mistake.
as consider it of the attempts made and being
made of introducing European laborers to these
Islands. will fully admit that Portuguese, Ger
mans, DC, are much more desirable immigrants
than Chinese, Hindoos, Polynesians, &c, but l
think that the Inducements we can offer are not
sufficient to make Europeans, contented; Portu-
guese make fair laborers, but are COSTLY requiring
much house accommodation and with large fami-
lies, are great drag upon plantations he pro-
posal of SIG per month and plots of ground would
bring Germans here, but they would be inevitably
disoontented as soon as they found out their real
position. The bulk of the labor upon sugar cane
Is of so simple character, and yet requires so
many hands that an expenditure of fifty cents per
day for each man is all it is worth. If il were pos
sble to get say threefourths of our labor at that
rate it would be possible to give the other quarter
much higher wages and give them all responsible
labor For this quality Of work, Europeans would
do well, and we could afford to pay them fair
wages Just consider the outlook of any Of she
Portuguese here. At home, though their su.ps
we're low, their expenses were all proportionateiy
lower, they had good substantial dwellings, an
ample supply of water, and markets where every.
thing they wanted was cheap and plentiful. Here
their wages are higher but in the majority of in
stances they are III the midst of completely wild
country. Their houses, though q very serious
what they are used to. They are expected to work
every day and feel themselves completely in the
power of their masters They can never become
small farmers and settle, owing as Mr.. Armstrong
said to there being no land which the Government
can give to immigrants. These things tend to
make them discontented, and | do not see how
matters would be mended by bringing more of
them here. The whole question, as look at it,
lies IN the difficulty of combining the repopuation
idea with the demand for labor. If the Govern
ment wish the Islands repopulated with European
blood, let them bring and offer such inducements
as to bring the class of people they want. To
make the plantations the means of filling the
country is to make the plantations no longer prof
ltably workable. If the Government object to
laborers of Asiatc origin coming here the planters
can easily undertake to return all the men soon
as their contracts expire, and this would prevent
any of the objections which the United States NAV
have to an Asiatic population. What are required
for the bulk of plantation laborers are people of
simple habits and DESIRES and not people who ex-
pect all the convenences of high state of civili-
zation. The cost of the former Portuguese is at
the least $22.50 per month, and the later arrivals
with higher wages, and shorter contracts must be
nearly one dollar per day.
1t is the high cost Of labor which keeps most of
the plantations back, and though the treaty gives
US rather better price for sugar, it is shame
that with a soil producing more than most sugar
growing countries, we cannot make the whole of
the Islands into garden full Of contented happy
people. do not desire TO see sugar the only IN
dustry, but if this labor question once fairly
foreigner alike Anything which would conduce
to the general prosperity, would be of advantage
to all. remain, dear sir, yours truly,
A Kr,oE- IN