The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-01-21
FOR A NEW LABOR
Mr.. Marsden Will Size up
European Peasants.
Northern ItaIy-C commissioner to Re-
Sign-Will be Year AbrOad-H
Done Fine Service Here.

The office of Commissioner of Agri-
culture will soon be vacant Mr.. Mars
den, who has done yoeman service is
to resign. He leaves the Islands in
April to be gone a year or more.
While absent, Mr. Marsden will make
his headquarters at Carlsbad, where
he expects the famous mineral waters
will restore him fully to health. He
is not an invalid by any means, though
in appearance he is sometimes describ-
ed as being frail. Mr.. Marsden has a
trouble which manifests Itself in a
slight irregularity of pulse. The beats
become regular again after travel and
rest periods. He hopes this time TO
get rid of the pilikia entirely and all
who know him wish the same thing.
AS commissioner of agriculture, Mr.
Marsden has made a record which will
appal novice to contemplate. 1t will
prove extremely difficult to find suit
able and competent successor. Mr..
Marsden went into the position well
equipped for the performance of the
manifold and arduous duties and by
close application has familiarized him
self with the thousand and one mat
tiers of detail which contribute to
round out success in such an under
taking. 1t is not f1attery to say that
Hp i,ofi 70
knowledge Of practical agriculture
such as carried on in this country
than any other resident of the ISL
ands. Besides that he has made a
study of all conditions and possibili
ties and his advice will be valuable
at any time Mr. Marsden has been
unrelenting in his campaigns against
coffee and other blights and has saved
enormous sums of money to various
industries. Besides, he has at all times
been interchangeable in encourag cement
of such culture of the soil as would
beautify the city and render life more
pleasant and profitable to all. 1t is I'M
likely that a successor to Mr.. Mars
den can or will be readily secured.
AS a matter of friendship to the peo-
y =
Marsden will undertake a mission for
the Islands while spending his time
in Europe. Himself a plantation
manager of many years service, he is
a special student of the labor problem
and has arrived at the conclusion that
the country requires a more stable
class of workers. He believes in fam
lilies for the plantations, in men who
will become permanent and useful citi-
Zens and while laboring in the fields
will also have small places of their
own. For a suitable people he will
search amongst the peasantry of the
Continent. The inhabitants of North
ern Italy, who have lately met with
so much favor in the South of the
United States, have attracted the at
tention of Mr.. Marsden and he will
visit and study them. They are re-
puted to be an Industrious, docile and
honest people of excellent habits and
in their situations in the United States
have proven to be all that their most
enthusiastic advocates claimed for
them. The second generation of these
Italians are the most useful citizens
in several sections in the Southern
part of the United States Mr. Marsden
will not cOnfine his investigations to
Northern Italy, however He will look
up several projects suggested by gen
tlemen here and will make the fullest
reports, submitting data upon which
the Government and planters will have
no fear of acting. Laborers coming
from such a distance will become per-
manent in the population and natur-
ally great care will be exercised in
their selection. Mr. Marsden expects
to leave Honolulu about the first of
April