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

not be cultivated by the plantation
/ VIII horse .ab3r were le- free OF rent;
/ JlhEr lands are rented at from nom
/ iEal price up ID $500 per acre. as de-
J .ermiEed by the value Of each specific
| lot. Where necessary. which is 50 in
/ mos cases Of free lab0rers entering
! upon lh!s system. The plantation makes
| advances Of money 10 meet the living
J and other expenses Of the small an
| -eTs during the period that their crops
! are in growth. These allowances are
| refunded When the crop is harvested
! The crop Is purchased by the plantation
! according 10 scale of prices which is
| based on the quality Of the cane and
| the prices OF sugar in New York, or in
| other cases according to conditions,
| al Of which are set forth in drawn
| Agreements, approved and signed by
| The growers and manufacturers of the
cane. Forms Of these several kinds OF
| agreement can be readily obtained, and
| nave already been furnished TO author
| lies requiring TO see and to use them.
Relating TO the example now under
consideration. the writer was present
IN the office of the said plantation four
weeks ago when the manager was re-
newing contracts, and making ad-
vances of money TO the planters upon
the growing crop. Some thirty OF
those planters We're there. The APP
pearance of thrift, pectability, and
air Of business responsibility OF those
men was nothing short of impressive
when it was remembered that every
one of them had arrived as contract
men a few years ago, and without a
dollar to them. In the course of con-
VerSation the manager said, Yes!
paid out $4,000 to those small planters
last year, and their production is sill
increasing" He said further: oh,
yes. they ali seem very content, and
even proud of their position: And they
may well be, They not only live we'll,
but some of them have balances of
$1,000 to $4,000 to their names; whilst
others make trips home to Japan in
good style to see their friends They
all turn up again, though" AS those
men were leaving the managers office,
the writer noticed that most Of them
We're riding their own horses or mules
OFFER FREE TO ALL
The ways that have been opened to
existing small planters are open to
white laborers of all natiOnalities up
on those conditions that are necessary
% make the independent planter sys-
tenn, and other cooperative systems,
a success. The position of relative in
dependence and security, and the COM
penSatiOn which have come to numbers
of those peoples who came into the
country through the cOntract-labOr 6yS-
tenn are offered to all free labor enter
ing the country, and at once, and with
out the preliminary period of enjOined
service through which contract labor
CrS have worked up to their present
state. Only, all labOrers, Independent
of nationality must subscribe to the re-
quirements of the system, and honest
iy stand by the conditions of the agree
ments. This has been faithfully done
by the small planters generally; and
probably for the reason that they are
fully aware that put for the liberal
conditions offered by the plantations
the system could not have come into
existence. 1t is not for one moment
claimed. however, that the plantations
have been moved in this matter by any
than business considerations; never
theless, the results to the small plant
ers have been just as beneficent as
though the undertakings had proceed
ed from motives of philanthrOphy.
In the opinion of the writer, there
are advantages offering to white labor
ers, along the lines set forth, such as|
do not obtain in older countries. His
familiarity with the state of labor in
England, in European countries, and
in the middla-We .eIn and southern
States of America causes him to be-
lieve that the farm IaboTers in those
Old countries, and in Nebraska, and
the States of the South have not sucn
chances to reach an Independent posi-
ton, and to lay up money, as are at
this time being used and enjoyed by men
who were first contract labOrers, then
free labOrers, and now relatively indie
pendent planters.
NOTE:-In affirming a title to speak
upon the labor conditions of this cOun-
try, the writer merely adds that his
position has compelled him to become
with the affairs of the plan
tations, all of which he visits annually. |
WALTER MAXWELL,
Special Agent for Hawaii of the L. 5. |
Department of Agriculture.
On motion of Mr.. Baldwin the labor |
report and DR.. Maxwell's statement |
were accepted and ordered published |
In calling for discussion President |
Cooke asked that the members consld- |
er the suggestion OF the report asking |
that a committee of three be appointed |
to report further on labor.
In speaking of labor, Mr.. J. NJ. Hor- |
ner said that as the United States was
he thought perhaps planta-
ton laborers might be secured from
he did not think the United |
States would object. There were ten
millions of neODle in Manila to draw
from. In considering the labor ques- |
ton there were two points to be |
looked after. First, to get labOrers
from the outside, and, second, TO get
more help out of the labOrers we al |
ready have. He also spoke Of the |
plan of managing labor in the United |
States, where they had no lunas. There |
leaders were appointed to set the pace. |