Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-07-01
SATURDAY PRESS
BOTT0M FACTS
JULY |, 1882.

bVl 1OM AVID
A tale of suffering naturally elicits human
sympathy. In most cases this sympathy is
gratuitous and profuse Moreover, it is apt to
be strongly prejudiced and almost invariably
in favor of the victim.
The narration Of one absconding Norwegian
or other laborer will do moro injury to the repu-
tation Of the Hawaiian planters than can be
contradioted by the testimony of twenty |
worthy men who are able and willing to |
vouch for their integrity and humanity.
Ones feelings must rise when reading of |
the merciless treatment Of those who srs held |
in "bondage" contract-and who, one |
would think. have no hope of bcttering their |
condition. We will not question the absolute |
truth of their statements, but take it for
granted that the master is brute and the
servant suffering slave. 10 it any wonder
that tho readers of the San Francisco Chronicle
have conceived horror of the contract system
| in vogue in these Islands? They do not
know that without this system it would be
| quite impossible to keep plantation supplied
with hands, nor realize that tho same system,
under various names, is employed in every
country to greater or less extent and that
without it, for basis, there would be no
stability in many departments of business. 1t
| does not occur to them that there must neces-
sarily be two sides to every question, and that
they do not writc to ascertain, or care to listen
to the other side. There is more sentiment
than sense in this, and yet We are all alike
subject to the same weaknesses.
So far, of the many readers Of 4" Hawaiian
Horrors whose hearts are plying the poor
Norwegians, how many have thought for a
moment that possibly the planter and con-
tractor may have their troubles, and troubles
that are occasioned by these very people
We have before US notes, which, had they
found their way into print in place of tho
Chronicle romances, would cause the great
public to thank it's stars that it was not
obliged to contract for such help in the ALB
sence of any available substitute. In one case
a gentleman shipped Norwegian married
couple who contracted for three years; the
passage money to Honolulu was advanced by
tho contractor and was to be refunded in
gradual payments. The man remained just
twenty-ono months out Of the thirty-si1 con-
tracted for, and departed leaving behind him his
wife who was expecting soon to become a
mother, and who for three months was unable to
work and was continual source of anxiety,
worrimcnt and expense. This man, who de-
frauded his employer, deserted his wife and
unborn child, doubtless has tale which our
calummators will gratefully help him 10 un-
fold.
Another case man and his wife shipped
having full knowledge of all that wss ex-
pectsd of them in their duties about the house
and premises of their employer. They had
two small children these children we're al
lowed the same privileges of those of the
employer and became almost like members OF
the family. The parties in question were
satisfied with their contract. They gave salts
faction and were so we'll disposed their
employer voluntarily increased their wages.
Everything went we'll until the Chronicle troub-
los began. The Communistic spirit was spread
ing and in very short time tho "sulky silence
of the man was broken by snarling words
His employer fell i'll and was aurssd by the
Norwegian, who seemed for tho time to have
recovered his original amiability, and the sal
ary was again increasd. While receiving this
pay he expressed desire to leave. and WAS told
by his employer that he was at liberty to 70
provided he would refund tho amount of pas
sage money still due. This 10 said he could
not accomplish; yet it has been done over and
, over, and is constantly being done. The result
was that one hne day he departed iacognitc
per barkontins Discore1y without leaving a,
much as an al. 0. L." with his employer a,
a souvenir of their former agreeable relation
ship.
, few days later his wife took her departure
and, in place OF the one trunk she br@gh
with her, took two WELL filled trunks and fou
! large bundles, her accumulation during til,
nine months Of servitude. These arc not eX
ceptional cases nor are they 30 aggravatipI
8 as others we might cite. The difficulty expert
d enced in securing good servants in this king
/ dom, and the difficulty in retaining them, max
u contract system a necessity, and yet 1t vii
II be seen how, with such people at least, tn
5 contract is almost worthless as surety Of al
n n employers getting his moneys worth aud o
these things the readers Of tho Chronic,s whs
p" are religiously pitying the psons know nothing
p nor will any amount ofevhiencs convince then
J. that there are two sides to the question.
!. We are induced to the foregoing remark
: from the certificate to alleged troubles by on
A. II. Lange, who styles himself "Commis
sioner pro tenn. among the Norwsgians on ih
4 Sandwich islands," recently paradsd in Ger
!, tain papers in Chicago aud saa Francisco. VIII
himself was shipped man" on one of ou
!, plantations, aud from the trouble and discon
tent which he melted among his fellows. ha
himsslf to thank for much Of the dissatisfac
' tion that has since followed between Nor
wegian employees and their employers. l
: fact, We have yet TO learn of single case {