The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-10-05
SUGAR AND LABOR.

IL Is not easy 10 ma out what the
planters are doing in the matter OF
new labor supply, for the results OF
their meetings and discussions are not
given to the press. Items in the Main
land files, caught on the fly from travel
ling labor agents yield more data than
can be had. here, but at best the facts
obtained are discursive and fragment
airy. Enough Is known of current I'M
dertakings, however, to make it appear
probable that neither the Porto Rican
nor the Southern negro venture Is pros
pering.
There has been some conflict of rul-
ings over Porto Rico but the weight of
judgment Is on the side of the plea
that while Porto Rico bears the rela-
ton of a colony to the United States,
her people cannot be regarded as ex-
empt from the inhibitions of the alien
contract labor law. The Porto Rican
and the Filipino are not citizens of the
United States, they are its wards; and
as wards they are not entitled to the
privileges conferred upon citizens,
among which Is placed the right to en-
ter into labor contracts anywhere with
in the national domain. Even IL there
were grounds to admit the Porto Rican
peon to the American labor market the
Federal Government would not recog-
nize them because of the political effect
upon the American workingmen-an
effect which might be disastrous to the
expansion policy itself.
There is no law in the way of max
| ing Hawaiian contracts with Ameri
can negroes but from comments we see
in Southern papers there is something
quite as practical, namely, the unwill-
| ingness of the white employers of these
people to let them go. In the Seventies,
at time of sectional warfare upon
black voters. the Southern whites turn
ed out with shotguns to keep the negro
"exodusters" from going to Kansas.
However much the Southern employer
objected to the attitude of the negro
in politics he wanted the cheap labor of
his former chattel In the fields. This
spirit still exists, evidence of it crop
ping out in newspaper paragraphs of
which the following letter from a con-
sentative Georgian to the Philadelphia
Record is type:
Editor of the Record: The Macon Tel
egraph of Monday last reproduces an edi-
torial from your paper touching the ques-
ton of Migration of the Negro" You
have, | think, pretty correctly stated
Southern opinion in the matter: 1t is
generally adverse to such movement.
with all his faults we love him Uhe ne
Gro) still" We neeG. or fancy we need,
his labor: yet II we change our point of
view. taking into consideration in what
way the Southern negro can attain the
hest conditions, ! am confident the in
tellgent reply must he: BY an attempt
l.,,,I
of his own selection. When this truth lis
accepted as truth. the work of prepara-
ton must begin: he must be aided by his
former master and friend. So soon as the
work begins and is generally recognized
es feasible the friction now existing will
no longer hinder his development. his
fellow workers will not dread an unscru-
pulous competition, but will gladly aid
him In the work OF preparation. So, at
least, 1t seems to me. and have observed
the situation FOR nearly half n century.
Ike and respect the negro, and wish him
all possible good.
WILLIAM RILEY BOYD.
Atlanta, Ca, Sept. II. 1900.
Reduced to brief compass this argu-
ment IL; We want the labor OF the
negro but II the time comes when we
can get along without It. the negro
win be invited to go back to Africa.
But We can't let him leave for long
time 10 come.
Viewing the trouble the Hawaiian
planters have had about bringing In
Italians, Gallclans and the like II looks
as II they would be forced eventually,
20 appeal 10 American white labor ON
some plan that would assure such labor
a better profit than Il can make at
home. We know ~ no material con-
summation more deyoutly 10 be wished.
The hope of Hawaii 10 IN a great earn
Ing and consuming population Of white
men, taking the place Of Asintlcs whose
wants are frW ana whose incomes are
mainly Hpsht abroad. The planters
fear that white labor, By costing more,
would reduce dividends but ~ this re-
suli Ne cannot be- sure while tho prop
Oaliion that one white neld hand II
N0Hb tgG yellow ones stands unchals
lfDRed, on the favorable side are the
ADVANTAGES " stability, for u II not on
record that American agricultural la
boTefa ever struck The profits ~ plan
tatlan store TRADE siib wes Whose
wants ars yarsdi the comparative Inn
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