The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-11
LABORERo' QUARTERS.

The Rev VI. L. Gordon's remarks on
the accommodations furnished TO the
Japanese laborers, published in the
Advertiser of the 8th, were made EVIL
IDENTIFY with the desire to give the least
offense to the plantation Arrangements,
So much so that he fails TO pre-
sent the case as boldly "a 1t
should be presented. If he had
used the language of visitor, VINO,
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 90 square feet for family is de-
c1arad even In cities to be insufficient
unsanitary, and a disgrace to COM
munity which permits it. The failure
to make arrangements for the separa-
ton of the sexes in the bathing ar
ransements, 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 is
just enough of the inhuman treatment
of the laborers still existing on some
of the plantations as to place the
whole system on a black list, and in
volve the conscientious managers in
the disgrace brought upon it 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:
''Tt shall be 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,
and for the good government, control
and PROTECTION of immigrants that
may come or be brought into this Re-
public" etc.
The protection of immigrants lis as
signed to the Minister of the Interior
His subordinateS are responsible to
him. but he is responsible to the COM
immunity. 1t is his duty to cause regu-
aatiOns to be made which will PRO
TECT immigrants, and to see that
these regulations are enforced.
Since the Republic came into exist
ence, and the present Minister held Of
fee there have been no regulations
made end published for the protection
OF immigrants, which specify what the
plantations must do for the we'll 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 plantations
without any specific directions regard
ing their protection. Honest inspect
ors have been occasionally sent out to
laborers, and they have made their
reports and some abuses have been
corrected But obedience TO the law
and vigilance have been lacking in the
head of the Department Of the Interior
Otherwise Rev Mr.. Gordon would re-
late a different story.
The British regulations for the pro-
lection of the East India coolies in the
West Indies are clear and imperative.
mo immigrants are allotted to any es
tate until the medical inspector has
visited the dwelling houses, and made
an entry in the book kept for the pur-
pose to the effect that the houses are
built in a manner which fulfills the
sanitary requirements laid down in
the regulations
Tt might be reasonably expected that
when The Republic came into exist
ence. the Minister of the Interior
would have made himself familiar
with the rules which the british Gov
eminent adopted. after wide expe-
rience. and would have been swift to
cause similar rules to be adopted here.
No doubt the Evil One smiles at the
laughable farce of the hawaiian Evan
siOnaries to the heather On the plan