The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-09-17
LABOR.


writes a very thoughtful and a very
practical letter. He searches for the
reasons of the present labor conditions
and he is prepared with a remedy
The main point he makes with regard
TO the japanese laborers at the present
time is that they work only a portion
Of their time and that what work they
do perform is less in quantity and in
quality than it was before the contract
system came to an end. This COM
plant, when other reports come in will
be found to be reiterated, though there
are some places, which are considered
desirable by the laborers, where there
il no such complaint, simply because
there are more applicants than there
are vacancies, and the labors who want
to hold their jobs must work or quit,
their places being easily supplied.
On a majority of plantations, however
the conditions which Manager Fairchild
pOrtrays exist. Now as the plantation
supplies house room, fuel, water and in
many cases little plots of land for culti-
VatiOn it manifestily is injured by a
fuel and water if he only works half
time. 1t may be the inalienable right of
a man to loaf when pleases, but if he
is going to loaf it should 10 at his own
expense and on his own premises. The
fact is the Japanese being just emanci-
pated from contract, into which he
entered, voluntarily, it must be remem-
berer, wants to keep all the advantages
that the contract gave him on the part
of the employer and wants to be rid
of all obligations himself 1t is a quite
understandable position and one which
is only a repetition of similar cases in
other countries.
In suggesting material to take the
place of the Japanese, Mr.. Fairchild
does not favor the negroes of the South.
because, in the first place he says 1.-THE
reputation of the average negro for
work is not good and further that the
people of the South would not let the
good negroes leave. Upon this there is
difference of opinions and doubtless
manager Kinds experiment will have
bearing upon the issue. The Star be-
IeVes that if the right kind of negroes
are obtained they will prove valuable
addition to our population. With regard
to The Porto Rico negroes The Star has
long ago expressed itself, it entirely
agrees with Mr.. Fairchild in considering
them undesirable. Language, habits,
and ignorance alike make them a class
of population which we are better with
out.
The Portuguese are the people which
Mr.. Fairchild desires to have brought
into the Territory and if we could have
plenty of Portuguese we would I'M
doubtedly be getting a desirable class of
population. The Portuguese who have
come here are thrifty, hard working and
prolific. They have always proved salts
factory as citizens, and the time is COM
ing when some of our leading men will
be drawn from this class.
Mr.. Fairchild has five suggestions
which he thinks will help the present
situation, and like every thing else he
has said on the subject, they merit at
tention. They are as follows:
Il. That the Planters combine and
agree not to give houseroom to laborers
who, when well and able, persist in loaf
ing.
,. Government discontinue drawing
its labor supply from the ranks of the
plantations.
20. Uniform wage and contract sys-
TEN based on consideration for climate
and local conditions.
"A. An earnest effort to induce good
Portuguese from agricultural districts
to ONE to the islands.
IS. See that such a colonization
scheme is allowed by the United States
and does not conflict with the Emigra-
ton laws"
Suggestion number one is practical.
Unless the planters combine for their
own protection they will never be able
to overcome the loafing element.
There must be unity among the planters
just as there must be unity among the
various trodes. Thorough combination
will beat the loafers. The third sugges-
tion is really a part of the first. Combi-
nation in one direction means combIna-
tion in another. There must be a uni
form wage system throughout the
group.
The trouble about the use of Asiatics |
on Government work is in our system
of contracts Where work is directly |
done by the Government Asiatics are
not employed. But contractors employ |
any kind of labor they can get This |
might be obviated by a clause in all !
contracts forbidding the use of Asiatic
labor. This was proposed in the last
Legislature, but was not carried out.
The next Legislature can certainly
enact a law in this direction. Mean
time it might be well for the heads of
departments to investigate whether any
government work given directly by the
department. is being done by Asiatics,
and have stop put to the system at
,nce.