The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-08-14
SOLVING THE LABOR PROBLEM.

correspondent sends us an extract
from Once-a-Week, a journal publish
ed in California, which states that a
cotton planter near Memphis, Tenn,
employs a gang Of twenty monkeys
who pick cotton at much cheaper
rate than it can be done by human
labor Our correspondent believes that
a larger breed of monkeys, the apes,
may possibly cultivate and strip our
cane. This suggestion is interesting
if not practicable. 1t is a pity that
we do not have an Experimental La
Dor Station, in which this, and other
trials can be made for the solution of
the labor problem.
The many facts regarding the capa-
city of the Simians for manual labor
have been demonstrated and the
evidence may be found in the book
titled Animal Intelligence" of which
the late Prof. Romanes was the author.
Prof. Tn. Ribot, the French Scientist,
shows that the higher order of animals
possess reasoning power, which may
instruction. Prof. Romanes says that
a monkey succeeded by methodical
investigation, without assistance, in
discovering for himself the mechanical
principle of the screw Some years
ago, one of the stewards on the Pana
ma line Of steamers owned Il Brazilian
ape, which polished the brass work
about the cabin. The substitution of
Simian for human labor may relieve
the white man of his Burden. There
are millions of able-bodied, and large
apes including the ourang-outang, who
are at present leading idle and vicious
lives in the woods of Oceanica, Africa,
Asia and South America, who should
be elevated to take a part in ''the Or
ganized glory of things" and be made
to contribute something for the adj
Vancement of the human race. The
elephants are at work in the saw mills,
the collie dogs are valuable shepherds,
the horses and the cattle are indus
trious workers while the Simians have
been allowed for ages to consume the
products of the earth without paying
taxes, or making any return for this
bOuntiful generosity. Man, out of
respect for his ancestor, or out of
jealousy at his possible rivalry, has
ignored the Simians heretofore, but it
is possible that the progress of civiliza-
ton now demands that these relations
of man should be compelled to aid IN
the evolution of the human race.
The large species of apes, the goril-
las, have more strength than men for
the stripping of cane. Their fool is
simple and inexpensive. They require
no clothing, and will prefer to sleep in
algeroba trees. They require no
monthly payment of cash. They may
be subjected to any kind of punish
ment without interference from the
courts. They will not strike. Like all
animals they appreciate rewards, and
dislike punishment.
They require only a rudimentary
education for the sugar cane industry.
An industrial School for Simlans,
established on one of the Islands
would prepare them for their simple
duties of planting, hOeing, and strip
ming cane In such a school, conduct
ed by expert instructors, all classical
knowledge would be. discouraged, and
useful manual training alone would De
enforced While labor is the ialls-
man that has raised man from the con-
dition of the savage" special efforts
would be made to prevent the Slm1ans
from rising to a point at which they
would demand political rights. Inc
prevailing theory is that they nave no
souls. They are not Buddhists, or CON
fucians or Protestants, or CathollcS,
and are Indifferent about theological,
social and economical questions. They
are not even Heathens. 1t would not
be polite to develop their moral
natures, beyond impressing upon them
that their duty in life is to con-
scientiously work in the cane hald,
and ask no questions. They would be
beyond the reach of political bosses.
AS living machines, they would be
rated as simply mechanical, and not
human forces which cost nothing but
their keeping The cost of making
sugar would be vastly reduced, and the
dividends of the plantations equally
increased.
There might be a few feeble voices
which would pipe up in objection to
this labor system that apes and goril-
las do not make a desirable bone and
sinew'' for the country. Neither do
horses or collie dogs. or oxen If the
labor of the Islands can be supplied by
10000 we'll trained and industrious
Simians, the Anglo-Saxon here will be