The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-08
REV. NIL. GORDON
After Observation He Presents
Views on Hawaii.
CONDITION OF THE JAPANESE
Housing of Plantation Labor Water Supply
Treatment Artistic Instcint-
Suggestion.

u. a
tracted residence in japan | arrived III
this city on April II. Sin - tnat Ilp.e
l have been busy visiting the different
plantations and aiding, as | was able,
work for the japanese laborers. AT
the Honolulu Ministers Meeting a fort
night ago | was courteously given an
opportunity to state my impressions OF
the Islands, and afterward requested
to write out for publication the sub
stance of my remarks. There has been
no time to do this, and perhaps 1 can
best fulfill the promise then made by
a letter for your columns.
Let me say then, that the beauties
on sea and land which so charm the
senses of everyone arriving here seem
to me not whit greater or more de-
serving of appreciative remark than
are the widely manifested spiritual
qualities of sympathy with and help
fulness for the many different peoples
brought together here. AS I have
noted how the young of all nationali-
ties are gathered into your excellent
schools as have visited the
free kindergartens on the planta
tons; as | have seen the special
schools for Hawaiians, Chinese and
Japanese, / have felt that these things
combined to form a state of affairs as
unique as Punchbowl or Diamond Head
And what the charm of tree, flower,
and lawn, is to the natural scenery,
that and much more are the personal
and private ministries of culture and
refinement to the less fortunate races
who for time at least, are making
their homes here. If Christ We're to
come to Honolulu He would surely find
not few upon whom He would bestoW
his coveted well done"
The Japanese on the plantations are
certainly better off financially than
they were at home. AS to their wages
and in general, their treatment-ex-
cept in the case of the inevitable mis-
understandings which ignorance Of the
language brings-there is not much to
complain of.
The most unsatisfactory things are
the camps. The quarters are Gas was
to be expected) very narrow. For a
family a room 9x7 #. is too small. The
same may be said Of the allowance of
6X41b feet for a single man. And | am
glad to report that this is being recog-
nized and that for the new houses go
ing up on some plantations &c. G. Ewa)
SKIP feet is the standard for family.
1t is surely not too large.
The arrangements for water supply
are in some cases inconvenient and in
adequate. This doubtless affects the
health OF the laborers and their chill
dren and calls for speedy remedy. This
is true not only as respects drinking
water but is particularly true of the
arrangements for bathing. The hot
bath is an essential part of Japanese
life. This is provided for on some
plantations, but so far as my observa-
ton goes the bathing tanks are too
few in number and what there are are
in the open air. Some better arrange
ment that would separate the sexes
and prevent exposure of the person
is loudly called for in the interest of
decency and morality.
To one coming here from Japan one
of the things which strikes him most
painfully on entering the homes of the
laborers is the utter absence of the
al icl 10 0t pr,iz
the homes of even the humblest there.
The japanese, in their activity, their
vivacity, their versatility, but especial
ly in their artistic sense, are the
Greeks of the Far East. Japanese art
now claims admiration almost every
where; but the art creations of the
few are not half so wonderful as the
art instincts Of the many. This is
something almost impossible for us in
artistic Anglo-Saxons who are prone
to associate art with a rich display Of
color and to limit it to halls and gal
leries, TO understand and appreciate.
In Japan the shoes being left at the
door, the houses are first Of all Clean
and the ever-present "Kakemono"
suspended pictures) on the wall, the
flower in pot or vase, and the refined
manners OF the people, are the expo
nants of race instinct strong and uni
versal In these camps the contrast
could hardly be greater. The artistic
interest has nothing whatever to feed
upon and its rapid decay seems certain
and this decay must have an impor-
tant bearing upon the morals of the
people. Some provision for this char
aoteristic Of the Japanese in the con-
struction and surroundings of their