The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-22

and the inability OF the laborers Co
bear the cost of their own transporta-
ton; and due on the other hand TO
he guarantees of service. support and
protection required by the Govern
ments Of those countries whence the
labor was to come, the so-called con
tract-system" was established.
The main purpose OF that system of
contract was to furnish guarantees to
the home Governments Of the imported
laborers that their peoples should have
occupation, provision, and personal
care and projections; and likewise to
give security to The authorities and en-
ployers in Hawaii that the great cost
Of the importation should be worked
out during a specified length OF time.
Such a system OF contract, in order
that its several conditions should be
operative. had 20 contain a special pro-
vision for their enforcement, and that
necessity led to the adoption Of a
penal clause" approved by the author
titles of the chief contracting parties.
From the foregoing considerations
1t appears THAI the nature OF the CON
tracts was such as ii was OF necessity:
and it further appears that. at the
time of its origin. the contract system
was indispensable ia order TO pro-
cure the labor needed The specified
duration of a contract being three
years. at the end of that time the i'm
porled men became free laborers. from
which fact ii IS at once seen that it
was only matter OF time when the
number of free laborers should exceed
the number under contract, even II the
mport2tions were maintained. Conse-
quently an ample supply of labor, alb
-o1t 4pl fra ~,
evolved through, anl by means OF, tho
contract system, without which those
free laborers could never have found
themselves in their present fortunate
conditions.
Having fulfilled the provisions OF
their contracts, those free laborers
could choose their own course. The
greater part continued TO work where
they had previously done, or moved ON
to other plantations. Cshers went TO
labor on coffee and rice plantations.
or adopted small pursuits OF their own.
During the more recent years, and ut
this time, daily increasing numbers of
the ex-contract men are growing cane
on their own account by reason OF ar
rangements made with the plantations,
and are therefore reaching the slate
Of Independent planters. These inde-
from the free laborer, as the latter
came from the contract-man. and
whether 1t shall be shown that the
system of contract is now no longer
necessary, or not, IL is due TO that sys-
'em, under whose conditions they
found il possible to enter this country.
hat the large bodies OF Asiatic and
other peoples enjoy their present state
Of independence and wellIbeing.
Concerning the relations that have
existed between contract laborers and
he employers or managers OF planta-
lions, and the operation OF the penal
clause. 1t has to be said that but few
disturbances have arisen. The repre-.
Sentatives OF foreign governments 10
Gated in Honolulu have aided In en-
forcing the fulfilment of the contracts
On the part of the laborers: and the
Hawaiian authorities have been prompt
and strict in redressing any harsh
treatment OF the laborers by under
officials on the plantations; which facts
are attested by records of the law
courts. Whilst the penal clause has
been exercised where contracts have
been violated, yet no harsh treatment
If the men, such as has been recorded
n the Southern United States, has
been in any instance overlooked by the
governing authorit es of Hawaii
The statements so far made, whilst
applying largely to the Asiatic peo-
'les, do not apply solely to them; and
or the reason that other nauonalities
lave also come into the country dur
ng the period spoken Of. A brief table
giving the status of the population and
abor is furnished by data taken from
he las census:
'OPULhTrCN AND PLANTATION
LABOR
1897 Hawaiians Chinese Japanese
'opulaticn. .39,504 81 ,616 24,407
-abor 1,497 S,144 12068
1897 Portuguese Other Foreigners
1871 s.3O2
.abor. ... 2,21S 756