The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-09-29
Planters Gather to DiSCQSS Grave
Situation.
MUST Be VARIETY OF WORKMEN
Am meriCans First Portuguese tc
Come-ItaIians on the List.
Coreans Considered.

Business of the first Importance was
considered at a meeting OF the Ha-
waiian Planters Association held here
yesterday morning. Labor supply dis
cussion occupied all of the time and
was most earnest. Many plans were
proposed and carefully viewed. Asso-
citation members called in some out
side counsel, including at least one
member of the Government. w. o.
Smith, Attorney General, was present.
So was L. A ThurstOn. Mr.. Smith as
sisted in organization of the planters
years ago He was for a long time sec
retary of their society. Mr.. ThurstOn
has several times aided the planters in
securing labor. The meeting was we'll
attended. For several weeks the gath
ering had been projected, but other
matters intervened to cause postpone
ments.
After the adjournment of the meet
ing calls were made upon half a dozen
or more of the gentlemen known to
have been present. All declined to say
of the session further than that labor
supply prospects had been talked
or moving conclusions had been
reached, but that there was to be d
meeting again soon, when plans for
action would in all likelihood be ap-
proved.
The Advertiser learns that the plant
ers consider the situation extremely
serious. Several thousand labOrers
must be had within the next six to
twelve months. 1t is pretty we'll
l.,
sible to bring in any more Chinese. 1t
appears or is thought that there exists
a plentiful supply beyond the sea of
Japanese labor which may. be drawn
upon. But the planters have cOnclud-
ed that it will not be safe to have all
Japanese in the fields and as labOrers
about the mills and sugar rooms. They
know that this papers account Of the
Japanese strike that was proposed for
few weeks ago and that was headed
off only by interference of the repre-
sentative here Oa the Japanese Govern
ment was correct in every particular.
1t was the firm and fixed intention to
have a strike that would simply par
alyze plantation operation. AS more
is learned of the Japanese as OrganiZ-
ers of labor guilds, more nervousness
is felt on account of the labor condition
here. In Japan the working people are
most powerfully and thoroughly or
ganiZed, from the ''rickshaw' men up
into the skilled trades. They believe
in the efficacy of the strike and it will
take a number of years to cure them Of
the faith.
The planters want no strikes. To
avoid difficulties with labor they want
a variety of people in the fields. The
leaven of Chinese is becoming less in
IL, ~E
ese. 1t may be remarked here, how
ever, that many of the Chinese brought
in under the three year permit are to
remain at increased wage. The Stip-
ulatiOn was that they should return at
expiration of service or sign over for
plantation work only. Money for their
passage home has been saved from
their wages through a Government
bureau. As so many new plantations
have been started, wages have in
creased and a number of the Chinese
become free have engaged in service
again almost Indefinitely for time.
The planters will watch the cooper
ative experiment at Eva with farmers
from California with the very keenest
interest. If Manager LOwrie makes a
success of his plan it will be extended
to about every plantation in the
group.
An effort is to be made to secure
more Portuguese. There has been some
correspondence on the subject and
| guarantee assurances have been re
| ceived that quite a number of POrtu-
| guese can be had. They Will cost more
than any other labor, both in trans
portatiOn and pay, but are regarded as
exceptionally desirable. A cOnnec-
ton somewhat new, but regarded as
! certain and satisfactory, has been
made for the purpose of securing the
| Portuguese.
There will be a try to get Italian
peasants. Mr.. Benton, who has been
! Hawaiian consul at Rome. has been
working for three years for the purpose
of arranging for emigration from ag-
ricultural districts of Italy to Hawaii
an plantations. Mr. Benton and 9TH
ers who have investigated declare that
a first-class desirable labor can be Sc
cured. The people are in districts
where such institutions as the malta
are unknown. They are Woodworking,
honest farmers, who would be well sat
isfied in Hawaii.
| Labor for Hawaiian cane fields may