The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1899-08-15
CORRESPONDENCE.
A Laborer on Wages.
ED. The INDEpENDENr:

4
AS DR.. Maxwell's report is, we are
sure not Intentionally misleading,
allow us to correct some OF his state
ments.
We would say first, that it would
be as unfair to take New York, Lon
don or Paris as the criterion OF all
the United States, English or
French cities, as to compare the vast
Eva estate with its fine irrigation
plant to the small plantations de-
pending on rainfall.
If the doctor chad canvassed all
the plantations, the mean monthly
wages would be found to be slight
ly" (not) "higher" (but good deal
lower) "thau the example given" as
large plantations can afford to pay
more than small ones. AS "the
skilled labor is excluded" (from his
report, and) "as the number OF high
priced men is relatively smaller" Con
large) "than on small plantations"
these latter have to seek compensa-
ton by paying smaller wages. The
Portuguese lunas, carpenters, ma
sons, assistant engineers, etc., who
receive higher pay, (we know young
man OF that nationality who has $50
month as luna, and another one
who makes $4 day as mason at
Eva plantation), are included or ex-
cluded in the report; if included,
their higher wages swell the average
if excluded, we beg the doctors par
don but have reason to believe that he
is mistaken, and that $27.55 is not the
average received by the Portuguese
field laborer at said plantation. We
do know that in many Districts of
Hawaii the average Portuguese full
grown field laborer don't make more
than $40 or S2l month. Some
don't even receive more than SIS or
SIG. And once the unhappy creature
allowed, to plantation we can
name, by advances of money and
other devices, cannot get away with
out losing halt months wages, as
he will not be paid before about the
18th OF the month following the one
due to him, and then he will be told
to finish his month il he wants to be
paid. OF course he can leave at the
end OF the month aud come to claim
his money about the next 18th, he
can also have recourse to law, but
what trouble, loss Of time and ex-
pensesl And generally the poor fel-
low "hoomanawanui" takes patience.
or loses his money. Note we'll, that
l know but one plantation where
such abuses exist, although the post.
ponement of wages is general, in
order to prevent the contracted
laborers, specially Japanese, from
running away, and we need not
blame the planter for safeguarding
his interests. Weekly payments
would certainly be great deal bet
ter. as well for the laborers as for
the rare independent storekeepers
left, but many planters would prefer
one pay pay day year, or still bet
ter none at all.
Who pays for "the free education
of the children"2 The planters7
"He (tha laborer) does--lose" (not)
zone day" (but many ''in the year
from weather" in many districts.
AS for "fuel" he has "to steal it"
or be satisfied not with "coal which
is very dear $40 per ton, wood rela-
lively DEAR" but with the dry half
rotten cane that he can gather him
self Cor his family on the often far
distant fields.
Overtime is hardly known on most
plantations.
We speak about the Portuguese
laborers as we know more about
them than Chinese or Japanese, but
ab ano disco omnes know them all
from one.
We could say more, but this is
enough to prove that the average