The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-04-27
AMERICAN LABOR
Laborers Should Have
High Political Status.
Destructive Influence OF compe-
tition With Indentured
coolie Labor

The Louisiana Planter publishes 81
article on the American labor system
which deals with the destructive in
fuences~ upon the American sugar in
dustry OF competition with other sugar
producing countries where imported
indentured labor is used. The writer
says. in part:
Henry Clay said that to maintain
the American Union in all its integrity
il was essential that the American la
boEers should have higher status in
our political organization than the la
borers engaged in similar occupations
IN other countries. If Il were hoped 10
perperuate the American Union.
II there be any well defined eco
nomic conclusion TO be drawn from the
last four presidential elections. one
Hoald seem 10 be that the American
people were determined that the Am
erican laborer should have some con-
siGer2tion in our national legislation.
such as shall the better enable him 10
ENaNaAA1C SUN q NNAAA%4NA ~ ~ - eAANs
decree Of intelligence as shall enable
him 10 maintain the dignity OF the
American citizen as one OF the peers
OF the Republic. and that he shall not
be reduced TO conditions similar 10
those OF the low forms Of labor en-
gzEed elsewhere in those industries in
which We ind satisfactory fields for
the energy. skill and intelligence OF our
IzbOrers-
These reflections are brought about
by & consideration OF the existing
cricis in the sugar industry. not only
OF this country. but OF the world. In
the West Indies. in the English colo
ries II Demarara and Trinidad. il is
asserted that without the indeutured
or seui-slave CoOlie labor they would
b lost. Similar conditions prevail in
Queensland. In the Sandwich Islands
thar little Republic in the Pacific thar
sends It's sugars 70 Us free Of duty IN
de- the reciprocity treaty OF 1876. we
Erd that. other than Portuguese, there
zre shout 5000 or 1000 white citizens.
and thar The labor system is based
upon Chinese. Japanese. hanaka and
Portuguese imported. indsnrured labor.
a-'a-A - x ~ -a-AAsAs---@l y 49,
exceptional sensibiliry. the destructive
Influences that such competition from
Europe. the English colonies. the sand
wich Islands. and in fact from through
CIT the whole sugar world. has upon
or domestic industry. The principle
Is the same. whether We De engaged in
the manufacture OF sugar. Of iron. OF
cotton. or OF wool. the working theory
Of or Government has been to pro-
tset and maintain the dignity Of the
American lab0rer. 10 give him 4 status
in matters educational and social that
shah make him the possible recipient
Of the highest honors the nation can
grant. There would seem 70 be no
ethe- way by means OF which our great
Republic can be maintained. and such
a sacrifice as * essential 10 the main
tsnanCe OF these conditions must be
E-ate by the various parties in interest.
Selfish men viii avail themselves Of
TIE right as well as Of the wrong. 10
promote their personal ends, and the
doctrine OF The fudicious protection Of
the American laborer has been attack
e as the cause Of some OF those ia
grant abuses with which public opin-
ion has been outraged during recent
years