The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-05-12
LABURhR,' QUARTERS.

The Rev. NJ. l.. Gordon's remarks on
the accommodations furnished TO the
japanese laborcrs, published In the
Advertiser OF the sth, were made evil
IDENTIFY with the desire 10 give the least
onense to the plan alton Arrangements.
SO much so that he fails TO pre-
sent the case as boldly as II
should he presented. II he had
used the language Of visitor, who.
after inspecting some of the Jap
anese premises, declared that as be-
tween a hog pen and some Japanese
quarters. the hog pen was preferable,
he would have kept well within the
truth. A room furnishing only space
OF G3 square feet for "a family is de-
clared even IN cities to be insufficient,
unsanitary, and disgrace to com
munity which permits II. The failure
to make arrangements for the separa-
| ton OF the sexes In the bathing ar
rangements, which Mr.. Gordon claims
Is loudly called for in the interests
OF decency and morality" Is simply
to write fraud" across the certifi-
cate OF Christian civilization which we
wave before visitors and insert In
the American journals.
The quarters OF the plantation labor
ers have no doubt been improved dur
ing the last few years, and on some
plantations are, as things go. hardly
open to criticism. The managers and
agents OF such plantations are entitled
| to warm commentator. Put there ia
Just enough OF the inhuman treatment
OF the laborers still existing on some
Of the plantations as to place the
whole system on black list, and in
volvc the conscientious managers in
the disgrace brought upon 1t by the
inhuman managers.
Who, then, is responsible for these
disgraceful living conditions Of the la
borers? What is the law? The Penal
Code, Sec. 1547, reads as follows:
1T shall he the duty Of the Minister
Of the Interior, with the approval of
the Board of immigration and the
Cabinet, from time to time to make
and promulgate such rules and regu-
lations and to adopt such measures as
may be deemed necessary or proper to
promote immigration from abroad,
p,pnt control
and PROTECTION OF immigrants that
| may come or be brought into this Re
public" etc.
The protection Of immigrants Is as
! signed to the Minister Of the Interior.
His subordlnates are responsible 10
him, but he Is responsible to the COM
munity. 1t Is his duty to cause regu-
lations to he made which will PRO
TECT immigrants, and to see thar
these regulations are enforced.
Since the Republic came into exist
encc. and the present Minister held OF
fee there have been no regulations
made and published for the protection
OF immigrants. which specify what the
plantations must do COR the well being
OF the laborers. Thousands Of labor.
ers have been brought in under the
penal contract system, but they have
been turned over to the plantation
without any specific directions regard
ing their protection. Honest inspect
ors have been occasionally sent out tt
examine the living conditions OF the
laborers, and they have made theii
reports and some abuses have beer
corrected. But obedience to the Law
and vigilance have been lacking in tn
head OF the Department of the Interior
Otherwise Rev. Mr.. Gordon would re
late different story.
The British regulations for the pro
lection of the East India coolies In tn
West Indies are clear and imperative
mo immigrants are allotted to any es
tate until the medical inspector Ia
visited the dwelling houses, and mad
an entry in the book kept for the pur
pose to the effect that the houses ar
built in a manner which fulfills III
sanitary requirements laid down Il
the regulations"
II might be reasonably expected tina
when the Republic came into exist
snce. the Minister of the lnterio
would have made himself familla
with the rules which the british Gov
! eminent adopted, after n wide expe
rlence, and would have been swift t
cause similar rules to'be adopted here
No doubt the EVIL One smiles ut tn
= laughable farce of the Hawaiian Evan
: gelical Association sending out mis-
sionarles 10 the heather On the plan
tations, when our Christian ciytliza
ton, OF which We do not hesitate
boast, Is permitting abuses, the re
moyal OF which, Mr., Gordon says, 81
Il