The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-09-01
I'M MIGRATION.

A correspondent in another column
asks some searching questions about
the importation of laborers from Italy.
The planters may be able to answer
them with more or less satisfaction.
1t is said that the theory upon which
Italian immigration is encouraged is,
that the first few hundred immigrants
will be SO kindly treated, that they will
encourage their friends to join them
here; that each well satisfied immi-
grant will become an agent for the
plantations in securing other immi-
grants, and then the business OF the
labor supply Will take care of itself
without the interference or direct aid
of the planters. This is now the course
of affairs in the United States and else
where.
Out of the Is 900 Portuguese now
living on these Islands, over 5000 of
them are natives of Portugal and its
dependencies, and their friends and
relatives must number many thous-
ands. Why are not these Portuguese
immigration missionaries, urging and
calling their friends and relatives to
join them here?
1t is absurd to say that the Italians
will be better laborers and citizens than
the Portuguese. 1t is stated on excel
aent authority that out of the O,OOO
and more Portuguese immigrants, not
one of them has been charged or con-
victed of murder. Out of about fifteen
Italian immigrants, carefully selected
one us now under charge of murder.
This indicates the difference in tenn
permanent of the people of the two ma
tiOns. At the same time, this unfor-
tunate crime by an Italian cannot be
held to be conclusive as to the general
character of Italian laborers, for it is
not. The Italians are more resentful
than the Portuguese, but that is an
excellent quality when the resentment
is within bounds. We understand that
the employment of Italians will not be
done in the interests of civilization and
humanity, but because they are, or
may be, the most available laborers
now to be secured. The plantations are
in the hands of Protestants, and they
do not propose to fill the land with
Papists. in the interest of Christ
ianity.
The reasons why the Portuguese,
who are on the whole, a quiet and
industrious people, are not supplying
the plantations with labor, will oper
ate to prevent the Italians, or any
other class, from keeping UP the labor
supply. If the conditions of the labor
ers are now changed in order to secure
Italians, why are they not changed so
as to secure the Portuguese who are
living here? If the inducements are
strong enough to move the Italians, why
are they not strong enough to operate
on the Portuguese, and encourage them
to send for their friends and relatives?
There is not any reason whatever offer
ed to convince us that the Italians will
be more accommodating and less ex-
acting, or be more pliable than the
Portuguese.
Alter tWeHlS years VI tApSi ithSS Will
the Portuguese laborers, which has
been, ON the whole, satisfactory, it |
seems to be unbusinesslike to go OFF |
at tangent in pursuit of Italians, on |
a general guess that they will be more |
desirable than the Portuguese. There |
can be no more unscientific or imprac-
ticable theory of dealing with the labor |
supply.
Moreover, the Italian immigrants
would not, for some time to come, per-
haps three or four years, become
satisfied with their success so as to call
their friends over in large numbers.
The Portuguese, numbering some
should be in a position to
urge their countrymen to immigrate
and accept the liberal terms made by
the planters.