The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-03-26
ThE LABOR PROBLEM.

The planters insist on it that n
supply of cheaper field labor is a
necessity of the present situation.
There seems to have been complete
breakdown of the scheme for procur-
ing Chinese labor enacted at last
session of the Legislature. This is
due to the restriction clauses, that
seem TO he unworkable. Restriction
of new-coming Chinese from other
than field labor is, however, the
established policy of this country,
and has been so under several admin
istrations. 1t has been in every
election platform since party organ
ization became feature of our elec-
tions There does not seem to be
any hope in measurably near pros
pect of supersediug the present labor
system of the country by anything
better, at least on a general scale. So,
granting that cheaper labor than that
now available, is necessity for the
retention of even q modicum of the
| prosperity hitherto enjoyed through
the sugar industry, the whole ques-
ton will have to be taken up anew
by the coming session of the Legis-
lature. If Chinese are an essential
element in the required supply, then
the Solous will find it incumbent
upon them to devise measures, where
by (lst) a certain proportion of them
may be admitted, and (2dly) the
| mercantile and mechanical interests
of the country may he protected
against the competition, which other
wise would be inevitable and power
full, of Chinese who would only use
employ ment in the fields as a step
ping stone to more agreeable Occupa-
ton in the towns and villages. These
ends are hard to harmoniZe and make
feasible together, as wearisome ex-
perience has proved. 1t is indeed
question whether the consummation
ispossible by statutory legislation.
One piece of legislation is cut out
for the session, having already pass
ed one stage. That is, the constitu-
tional amendment empowering the
Legislature TO make laws for over
coming the difficulties hitherto insur-
mountable, owing to the clashing of
such laws with the absolute prohibi-
ton of class legislation now in the
Constitution. This amendment does
not touch the rights of any Chinese
who may be in the country when laws
such as those permitted therein shall
first have been passed Whether
workable laws can be framed under
the enlarged powers proposed will
remain TO be seen. All that can
now be said is that the amendment
seems to be what was required in or
der to get over some of the most
serious obstacles to the passage of
laws more effective than those which
have heretofore been found compat-
bic with the Constitution. There
fore, although the amendment comes
short of what has been desired, as
will be shown just now, it seems to
be necessary to have it passed before
any specific legislation under it is
initiated.
The deficiency in the amendment
is its want of provision for the regis.
tration of the Chinese laboring
classes in the country before the
passage of the laws therein author
lied. 1t allows of the passage OF
claws for the supervision, control and
Identification of all persons or any
one class or nationality who may be
introduced into the kingdom for the
purpose of performing agricultural
labor !" also laws to "restrict and
: limit the term of residence in
the kingdom of such agricul
tural laborers and the business OF
employment in which they may
engage" To maintain control OF
keep track of the identity of thou
sands of Cinnamon, coming in under
the provisions of such laws, without
first having provided means of iden'
tiiying the Cinnamon who, by prof.
residence, are exempted from thu
same laws, would indeed be diff
cult task. The means now employed
2 for identifying the holders of return
. permits has been effective, and it,
a adoption for identifying claimants to
! exemption from the proposed laws
: ought TO be equally effective. Per
haps this can be secured without new
]