The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-09-01
Continued from 1st pages

whole-is sugar. When planting
began on large scale, the labor
problem became very pressing one.
Native labor was insufficient. Vari-
GUS experiments in importing field
hands resulted in failure. A large
number of Portuguese were import
ed, and also some hundreds OF Ger
mans and Norwegians. When these
got the first experience OF the work
they were put to in that "most
beautiful of all climates" they we're
so exasperated that the agent who
had brought them there had to run
for his life, Then the experiments
OF inducing white men to do the
principal productive work in that
country ceased, and recourse was
had to Asiatics. 1t was a matter of
necessity. A large number OF Chi
nese came, whom-it is needless to
inquire for what reason-the other
inhabitants of Hawaii disliked, al
though they proved excellent field
hands. Then the Hawaiian Govern
ment under King Kalskaua entered
into labor convention and a treaty
OF amity and commerce with Japan,
under which, in the course OF years
about 10000 japanese were import
ed, $4,000 of whom are still there.
1t is not intended to discuss here
the terms Of that treaty, and how
they were kept or violated, The
significant fact stands forth that
the treaty was was the out
come of the necessity to invite
or import Asiatics to do the princi-
pal labor OF the country, because
under the existing climatic infu-
ences white men were utterly unable
to do it. Here, then, we have to do
with country whose laboring force
that is, the bulk of whose popu-
lation-consists, and will necessarily
always consist, OF people not belong
ing to the white race. OF late a
project has been preached to organ
nize on large scale the emigration
Of negroes from our Southern States
to Hawaii. The chief promoter of
this scheme advocates it on the
ground that white men cannot work
on the cane, rice, or coffee fields of
Hawaii, while the climate would be
congenial to the blacks, and that
transfer of large part of our color
ed population would be beneficial
to both countries. Behind this, no
doubt is the thought that a substi-
tuition of American negroes for Chi
nese and Japanese laborers in Ha-
wall would make the annexation of
the islands less Objectionable to the
American people. Whether such a
migration in mass can be carried
out, and whether the somewhat i'm
provident negro would prove as
satisfactory laborer to the planters
in Hawaii as the industrious and
thrifty Japanese and Chinese, may
be Questioned But even if the sub
stitution were successfully effected,
the essential fact would still remain
the same: that Hawaii is a country
whose laboring force, that is, the
bulk of whose population, will not
be of the white race.
Such a country with such po-
pulation will, if we annex Hawaii,
become an active part Of our po-
liticsl system. 1t will in the course
OF time inevitably be admitted as a
State of the Union, on an equal foot
ing with the other States. The
United States will have to guarantee
to it republican form Of govern
ment. Through its Senators and
Representatives and its electoral
vote it will, such as it is, exercise
power in governing all OF us. Is
this desirable7 1t may be said that
we have already in some of our
Southern States similar conditions,
and that we manage to get along
wit Il than, Th;o 10 n a lin, a1 nv