The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-02-23

ness wisdom. Let this. however, but
form an enlightened selfishness only
and it win be worm at the apples
core. Not until the employer finds his
delight and his reward in doing for
others for their sakes alone will he
have reached the terra frma Of, and
have established perfectly sound re-
lation with life
| I believe, Mr. Editor, that anyone
who has familiarized himself with the
work that has been done and is now
being done by Mr.. Fitzgerald the
Labor Commissioner of California,
Will feel confident that by the CO.
operation and assistance of this gentle
man the planters may, if they, will.
establish upon their estates the best
class of agriculturalists that has ever
come TO this country. l am informed
that we are to have an early visit from
this gentleman for the especial pur-
pose of studying our labor question
and conditions. II will probably be
sufficiently early in the year by the
time of his return to California to en-
able number of plantation companies
to prepare and well consider plan for
beginning the work on their estates
and 10 make preparations for welcom-
ing a dozen families of the class indi-
Gated. Time will surely justify the
calling of this golden opportunity"
1t should be no slight qualification that
simultaneously we would be assisting
in noble work.
Mr.. Editor, should the considera-
lions set forth in this effort to demon
strate the business soundness of re-
forming our labor conditions as we'll
as our moral obligations in that direc-
ton prove utterly void of influence
our precarious foreign commercial re-
lations should suffice TO scare selfish
ness into action for the sake of policy.
Twenty years of the fostering care
of the reciprocity treaty is recorded
in ten-fold prosperity. There is no
gainsaying the fact that some of the
strongest friends of the treaty were
made so by the hope and encourage
ment that the development of Ameri-
can communities and civilization
would accompany the protection of
American capital. The American
statesmen believed that they gave us
unequal benefits but that the enor-
nous surplus of benefit given to Ha-
waii would prove a help and aid in the
creation here OF broad Teutonic civil
lization. However, perfect may be
made the demonstration of reciprocity
for twenty years between capital and
capital, who will pretend that any
commensurate return for the benefits
conferred has been made in eiviliza-
! ton?
1t was well quoted by the essayist
! of the evening that TO every agreement
there are three parties. the employer.
the employee and the State. We may
we'll claim that the United States and
: American civilization should have
{ stood for the State in every contract
made in this country for the last
: twenty years. If the martyred Garfield
! could return and make an inspecting
2 tour of the plantations. how fully
: think you, would be find his hopes
realized and the State considered?
1t is probable that were the question
of annexation or reciprocity left to the
mass of the people of the United States
T..
r goodwill of the average citizen would
: grant what ignorance and indifference
2 would suggest as costing nothing
: What would the vote of the same citi-
: zen be, think you after accompanying
3 Garfield on that fancied tour and being
5 assured by some OF our conservative
: and successful planters that no white
labor could ever produce the sugar
4 crop in Hawaii? American planters
here striving towards annexation iden
y tify with its accomplishment tht
d growth of labor communities such az
j are herein advocated.
: The development of the beet sugar
: production in the United States viii
d unquestionabIy add year by year to thu
It number OF American citizens directly
o interested in Withdrawing our benefits
o whether in the form of annexation o.
5 reciprocity. The defeat of either viii
e inevitably react to produce to a create
S extreme than now prevails, the cheap
e est coolie labor community, so neces
S STATED by the low sugar prices ant
S sharp competition of the worlds suga
n market. 1t will, at the same time, hope
e lessly destroy our power to accomplish
s the reforms here outlined.
r Can not our German and English
: friends, who perhaps cannot be expect
s ed to "enthuse" over incorporation
# into the Great Republic as the Ameri
n cans may, earnestly join hands for Sc
t curing such labor communities and TO
r such accomplishment, recognizing a
e they look at the subject through com
e ImerciaI spectacles if no others, tina
Y such a state would be incomparabl!
;, preferable to the destruction of the
S treaty?
: Spite of every effort, every argumen
o that may be made TO show the reason
!, ableness of the treaty from an Ameri
d can standpoint, believe that more ant
o more the bare fact of the figures ex
e posing the labor complexion of oul
S plantations will be used conclusivel.
e against US. 1 am firmly convinced
:. that it is within the power of our plan
h tiers to remove the causes producing
S The fertile source from which our enc
mics draw their ammunition Will the!
n do it?
b Yours respectfully,
. n n a