The San Francisco call., 1899-07-31
UKASE
To THE PLANTER
Terms on Which Labor
ers Will Be Shipped.
IS CONSIDERED PR0HlBITIVE
SUCCESS OF THE COOPERATIVE
SYSTEM.
Hawaii Threatened With Financial
Crisis Owing to Over-Specu-
lation in Shaky
Stocks.
OF THE COOPERATIVE
SYSTEM.

HONOLULU. July 23-The Italian Gov
ernment has apparently taken a stand
which according to the Planters Asso-
citation. will probably put stop upon the
enGeavors to procure Italian labor for the
sugar plantations.
The Government practically demands
the following arrangements:
A bonus of 800 to be paid 10 the family
of each Iaborer in the case of disable
ment during contract. or, if the contract
is fulfilled, then at the end Of the con-
tract
Half pay during sickness.
A dollar a month extra wages TO the
head of the family for each child under
working age
A garden lot for each family.
Boys from y to Is to receive employ
ment at % cents a day.
Two pay days a month
A fully accredited agent TO act for the
planters, in addition to the two now ae-
credited to the Government.
The Italian Government. if these terms
are agreed to. will permit a trial ship
ment of 250 laborers; but the planters
say they cannot accept the second condl-
ton, requiring half pay during sickness
And again, according to our school laws.
children must attend school until 10 years
old. This ultimatum is surprise to the
planters, and they feel inclined to aban-
don the proposition
That plantations can be successfully
conducted on the proft-sharing business,
even with Portuguese. Chinese and Jap
anese as the principal participants. and
without any contract Iaborers, is already
shown by the success among others, OF
the Koua Sugar Company on Hawaii.
Here some 300 men are cultivating the cane
for the mill on shares. The system is
simple enough and insures profit to the
mill and good remuneration, in com
parsOn with contract labor. to the labor
ers or partners The lands are rented on
a profit-sharing system; the mill fur
nishes the land, seed cane, plows, teams
and implements. and makes advances, if
necessary. for food. etc.
The mill then makes and cells the sugar
and divides the profits after deducting
advances with interest at a rate of from
I to per cent and the cost of manufac-
ture. The agreements between the parties
are generally made for five years, but
vary in duration. White men have joined
in the work and they receive five-eighths
of the profits, leaving the rest TO the mil.
There is great diversity of opinion as to
the feasibility of this plan being generally
adopted for large plantations and with
purely American or white labor, as there
are many who hold that the only solution
to the labor problem is higher wages and
better accommodation and treatment.
The labor question, however, is an old
one and will drift as it is until the Amer
lean form of government is fully eStab-
lished when the necessity of the case will
develop a remedy. A problem however.
of far more Importance has arisen in
connection with the development of the
plantations and especially the new ones.
A very conservative financier says at
within the next eighteen months tn ere
must be found no less than 50 500, 900 for
assessments on companies already in tue
market, without taking into consideration
those only projected. This week there has
been quite a slump even in gilt-edGed
stocks. for the poorer classes of investors
have over invested and have had to re-
alize on some to save the rest. Planters
are in fact living on one another with
a cannib&listic mania. and the weakest
go to the wall.
Unless the capitalists can bring in n con-
siderable amount of foreign money there
will be a crisis before long which will aid
the very rich, but crush a large number
of the poorer and foolish investors VINO
would not listen to conservative advice.
The financial atmosphere will be purified
at a terrible cost, but the lesson will be
thrown away in the rush for sudden
wealth.