The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-03-01

A PLANrER's Association would be
source Of great strength TO the principal
industry Of the group Many and most
! interesting are the questions which would
be discussed by such body: and well
organized II would have a decided in
huence upon legislation The moment It
| is understood that the planters want this
or that. not as isolated individuals, but as
a BODY. they are much more likely to get
what thev wish than they can at present.
Besides such an association will give OPP
portunity for discussing points among the
planters themselves. The planters of
kauai may not desire exactly the same
/ thing as the planters of Hawaii, and they
Of Maui may have a plan which Is not in
consonance with the other two Discus
sion would make these gentlemen able to
decide upon what would be the best line
10 follow. what measures should be first
attended to: the desires of one section
might have to give way to the more press
ing needs of another; this would be a
great element Of strength: there need be
no longer any wasted energy, but all could
give full force to whatever was asked.
Seeing how important the sugar industry
Is. there can be no question of its right to
speak very pronouncedly upon all matters
Of legislation.
II Is not only in matters referring to
politics and the administration OF affairs
that such an association would be useful,
but in the matter Of Improvement of cul-
tivation. of machinery. of carrying power,
It would be invaluable The minor details
of the mill. the small improvements which
are made either for saving labor or ex-
pense; the experience winch 4 man has
gathered from planting particular kinds
of cane in particular places; the cOmparl-
son Of the results obtained by employing
different kinds Of labor. and q thousand
Other things are now locked mp as it were
lu isglar.1 places. and any one deslrlEg
information has to seek K -iaF md wide. 90 /
drop hgp Aazlrd. ru6n one point gt the
most northern end of lhe gl0up, and on
ua another q. tie s1u,Bern. With m
a-=1ciajon inform nation ru-- ali points
7r h aL-a nom the fountain head.
me pest that Is to be had; not this man or
that mans particular view, but the view
Of the subject which is held by the whole
planting interest
An important officer to such an associa-
ton. viii be its Secretary: the post will
require a man practically acquainted with
cane cultivation. and with machinery: his
duties VIII be onerous and he will un-
doubtedly have many calls upon his time.
1t would be very hard for man actually
engaged in planting to fill the post. There
are. however. plenty Of men who have
the requisite knowledge, and who might
develop into admirable Secretaries.
From the point of view OF the outside
world a Planters Association -Mould- be !
most valuable information, from an |
available source. coaid be obtained by in
asltJling immigrants, either poor or rich. |
The information supplied from such |
body would have a great weight with those |
who contemplated coming, and would |
make them thoroughly contented when |
they arrived. Itwould not be to its inter |
erest,Sls It Is to that of the pure labor
agent, to misrepresent the conditions of |
life; 10 draw too highly colored a picture |
Of the Arcadian simplicity in which the
laborer on q sugar plantation lives.
There Is thus plenty of work for a
Planters Association. not only for the |
benefit of the planters themselves, but |
also for the country at large. Here there
has always seemed a lack of that spirit of |
unity. which characterizes the Anglo Saxon /
race in other parts of the world. 1t is to I
be hoped that this lack may be disappear
ing. and that men in the same enterprises,
with the same general aims, may at last
act together FIJI Is ahead of us in this
matter. though only recently established,
the Planters Association Is a really
fourishing affair; the papers are full of
and instructive discussions
which have bppp hold by If
The fable Of the bundle of sticks. may
be trite but it Is bitterly true, and the
planters Of Hawaii nei should remember,
that their bundle Is at present only com
posed of loose sticks.