The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-22
RELATION OF LABORER TO MAN
AGEMENT.

Regarding relations of the laborer
TO the management" in the first place,
it has to be understood that the man
agement of the plantations in the past
has had to deal chiefly with subject
races, and peoples ignorant both of
the work they had to do and of the
language through which they were
directed. 1t was, and is still, impOs
sible to treat with and manage crude
Asiatics and foreign whites as English
speaking labOrers can, and have to be
managed. OF necessity, those ignorant
contract men were and are put into
gangs, and overlooked by an under
OverSeer, who acts under instructions
from a higher overseer, or the man
ager. White labor, and especially En-
gtish-speaking labor, will not fall into
the gang system, to be run with Asia
tics, or even in gangs of themselves,
and 20 he constantly followed by the
Cverseer. And it is not necessary, or
il Is less necessary, that English
speaking iIbOrers should be handled
thus. They can receive more direct
instructions from the management and
carry them out without the constant
oversight of an oyerSeer. who may be
of the same nationality, and of no
greater intelligence, than themselves.
The English-speaking labOrers are also
more capable than crude Asiatics of
making contracts with the manage
mant TO do certain work at 50 much
per acre. or by the job. Further, such
white laborers have open to them the
to gradually become in
dependent planters by the same means
that have enabled the Asiatic free la
"a do IL
line that the possibilities offer for
white. English-speaking labor to be-
come engaged and settled in the chief
agricultural industry of the islands.
TO WHITE LABOR.
Bearing upon the question of the in
ducements offered" to white labor, in
the first place, the compensation paid
to free laborerS may be considered.
In brief report on Labor Conditions
in Hawaii" made by the writer six
months ago (See Year Book of the De-
partment of Agriculture by Secretary
Wilson to President Mckinley, pagel
57S) it is stated that the average wages
per day of all laborers is equal to that
Of the mixed labor of Louisiana; and
that the wages of unskilled Portuguese
labor on stated plantations was 43 per
cent. greater than that of the Asiatics.
Since that date wages have risen all
round on the Islands, and today the
average wage of all nationaliLies is not
less than so cents per day, whilst
exceeds S1.00 per working
day.
The free laborers have further the
opportunity To become individual
planters, growing cane to be sold at
stated prices per ton TO the large plan
tations: or, according to several forms
Of system of prOfit-sharing they may
cooperate with the plantations and re-
ceive such share of the results as may
have been mutually decided upon. ToI
become Independent planters, growing
and selling the cane to the plantations,
is the more popular system with the
men, and Ii is extending with consider
able rapidity. The reason of the
greater popularity of this system lies
in the circumstances, that the men can
work not only when they feel inclined,
but when their labor is most effective.
Further, they are able to engage the
help of their families at any season
when the work is pressing. Moreover,
this system contributes to the spirit
and possibilities of independence, much
of whose results are good and praise
HOW To BECOME A PLANTER.
Concerning the means by which free
labOrerS have already become planters,
and through which means free labor
of all nationalities can continue to dol
so. an example is given in some detail,
which sets forth the principle and
serves as an illustration of other cases:
The Hilo Sugar Company encouraged