The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-09-02
Mr.. KINNEY REPLIES TO Mr..
H0RhER.

Mr.. Horner's letter in your last issue |
with interest and respect, as one can |
well afford to do by the opinions of |
AN honest and straightforward man. |
In reply l wish to say, first, that il |
Mr. Horner will read my letter again
he will find distinct recognition of
two classes among planters, i, e.,
those who are willing to do something
on the Chinese question and those
who are not. With the first, there
need be no conflict, with the latter
there is no other choice. My letter
states at is unfortunate that the
views OF Col. Spalding and many
other planters, which are practically
in sympathy with those OF their fell
low whites in the towns, have appar-
emily been overridden by another
wing in the cheap labor party, etc"
Elsewhere in the letter | express
similar views. Mr.. Horner therefore
has no occasion to say, "Mr. Kinney
is little too hard on the planters
when he intimGtes that they have
done or are doing wrong" unless in
deed he thus intends to refer to that
class OF planters who propose to do
nothing on the Chinese question.
II so, have only to say that the
animadversions Of my letter are but
a small part it seems to me OF what
they justly deserve,
Coming nearer to the subject OF
Mr.. Horner's letter, shall have to
suggest again that he look at my let
ter once more, for he will find that
the issue raised by it had nothing to
do with common laboring occupa-
tons but was confined solely to chat
limited number OF better paid occu-
pat:ons upon which our own people
must depend for living if they are
to remain here" and to clinch my
meaning / stated further on in the
letter, there are say from 1000 to
1000 places now filled by Chinese
which are or could be made remuner-
alive enough to support that number
OF white and native families" These
statements coupled with repeated
illusions to the right and necessity
of plantations to cheap labor should,
it seems to me, have made the issue
so clear as to have prevented the
usual dissertation on the utility of
plantations in reply, which no one
ever denies but which is invariably
served up at once whenever any
phase whatsoever of the cheap labor
question is touched upon.
The issue We raise, the question we
put, therefore, is whether or not, Mr..
Horner, you believe the Chinese
should continue to have unrestricted
right 10 take up the higher and bet
ter paid occupations. A careful
reading of your letter will prove, l
think that it is utterly Inexpensive TO
that issue. To be sure, you say the
more common laborers a country
can take in and employ, the more
skilled labor there will be to be per
formed. No one denies it, but this
does not dispose of the question we
still put, namely: Who is to perform
that skilled labor whether there be
more or less of it than formerly, Chi
nese or our own people? You seem
oblivious to the fact staring one in
the face on every street in this city
that after Chinese as common labor
ers have created a demand for more
skilled labor they can turn round
and fill the bill there as well and at
rates that defy competition.
You ask what are these occupa-
tions that we speak OF and suggest
that committee of five should in
vestigate, report, etc. The fact is the
whole matter was gone into publicly
and thoroughly last Legislature.
Night after night the Legislative
committee took evidence of mechan'
les and others on this question unit,
the pro-Chinese members themselves
cried quits, but when we thought the
contest was ever and rested on oui
oars, they rose at the last moment
a number of them, with an unre
tracted promise to support us still OF
their lips, and killed the constitu
tional amendment that was the out
growth of all that work. The occu
pations in question and in which
Chinese are now engaged include
carpentering; sign, carriage ant
common painting; blacksmithins
horse-shoeing, photographing in al
branches including artist work, cabi
net making, wood carving, saddlery
tinsmithing, boot and shoe making
and repairing, retail store keeping o
all kinds, clerking, tailoring, butch
ering, ranching, fishing and manu-
featuring and selling poi (the las
two affecting the native population
mostly, watch and clock making
dwelling, keeping restaurants, etc.
etc. Some say the Chinese will onl,
master and appropriate small par
of the skilled labor required to b'
done, but the facts here and else
where prove otherwise. There is lit
tie consistency in those taking thi
position who in the same breath vii
eulogize the sobriety, perseverance
persistence, industry, keenness ant
general intelligence OF the Chinanan
Tor such a person is likely to maste
my trade in time.
Enough has been said to indicat
that in my opinion Mr.. Horner's re
marks on the past, present and tu
tnre condition of the native planta
ten laborer is not pertinent to tn
issue raised, but seeing that he ha
gone into that matter, have jus
this to say: One might think from
reading Mr.. Horner's letter that tn
cane fields at Kukaiau were full O
49,. 10 -ooo;ya 9OE n ,,,o,,th /. n,