The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-10-24

duco their prices. His views must
cause a sympathetic throb of every
heart but yet | must dissent from
his conclusions.
For the purposes of this COM
munication, | will divide the popu-
lalion of these Islands into the fol-
lowing classes;-
/. Financiers.
.. Professional men.
3. Government officers.
A. Stock ranchers.
5. Plantation owners and man
ayers.
6. Merchants acting as agents
for same.
z. Chinese merchants.
8. Chinese and Japanese laborers.
8. Hawaiian and Portuguese la
borers.
10. White unsl1illed laborers.
II. Skilled laborers (not Chinese).
II. General merchants.
We will say that Mr.. Gribble be-
longs to one of the first eight classes
and that he spoke his little piece for
them. belong to one of the last
four classes and therefore will adj
dress my arguments to them. The
first eight classes may not suffer by
Chinese competition but the last
four do. The last four classes COM
prise large majority of the voters
Of this kingdom.
1t needs no arguments of mine to
prove that Chinese competition is
disastrous to these classes. The re-
duction of wages paid to Hawaiians
and Portuguese made possible by
the competition of class 8 and the
steady exodus of Portuguese from
our shores are sufficient refutations
of all all doubts on the subject.
Some white unskilled labor is en-
ployed on plantations. Hawaiian,
Portuguese and this unskilled labor
is being steadily crowded out of the
plantations owing to the superior
shrewdness of the Chinese stomach.
Thus the opportunities for employ
ment are lessened and the demand
increased.
Skilled labor has also to compete
with Chinese. On many plantations
carpenters are being replaced by
Chinese apologies. In Honolulu
every department of skilled labor
suffers directly or indirectly by this
inferior competition.
The white merchants, including
wholesale and retail dealers, suffer
by this competition. The retail
dealer gets little or no Chinese pat
ronage. He carries on legitimate
business in accordance with princi-
Piles prevailing in other civilized
countries. This Chinese competi-
tion is not one against which he can
match his business skill. He knows
that Chinese merchandising is gen.
orally merely cover for more pro-
fitable illicit and unlawfully specu-
Iations. The white merchant cannot,
as a rule, hoard money. If he
makes money he enlarges his busi-
ness and his receipts are placed in
circulation resulting in general bene-
| fit. He is man of family and oc-
cupies a house of either his own or
anothers construction. His motto is
''Live and let live
Glasses 9, 10, IL, II are the ones
most affected by Chinese competi-
tion and hence may view with dis
trust all protestations emanating from
the other classes, whose anti Chinese
utterances are for the most part poll
tical buncombe. Hawaiian states
manship seems narrowed down to
bolstering up the sugar industry.
No real relief could be expected
from the last Legislature, composed
so largely, as it was, of plantation
men. We are constantly warn that
we must do nothing to disturb the
profits of these institutions or else
how could we live. Hence no blow
has been struck at Chinese labor but
merely at Chinese stores.
Let me admonish you that this ls
all rot. While Chinese labor predom-
mates it will draw its supplies from
| SllleSC oOulCSS. IL HAS nCNcI DCCu
satisfactorily shown that plantations
could not be conducted with profit il
Chinese labor formed no factor in
their management. | suspect the
case stands this way: they can be
run with greater profit as more Chi.
nese are employed. l venture the
assertion if the Chinese were totally
excluded from these Islands, nc
!. plantation would be closed. 1t is
natural for plantation men to looR
out for their interests and it is just
as natural for us to look out for oul
own. Plantations, abstractly viewed
| deserve no consideration whatever
When their interests coincide will
our own, then they should command
J our support. At present they arr
| the natural allies of the Chinese. i
| they cannot get their quota of labo
, from coolies now on the Islands
MeV soOuid import more, thus swell
: ling the number of Chinese consum
, ers and thus stimulating the busi
ness of Chinese firms.