The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-10-25
(The N. Y. Expansionist) 9

VI FaPdllSiOnlSl.D q
The most signal change in the com
merce of Hawaii has been, undoubtedly,
the substitution of steam for sails in
ocean freightage-a change which may
be rightly accounted one of the firsc
fruits of annexation, for it was certainly
stimulated by the rising demands of the
sugar crop, with positive assurance
of u great home market Two years ago
the clipper ship lines of Flint & Co. anu
Dearborn & Co., running from New
York to San Francisco, with Hawaiian
connections, were replaced by the incor-
poration of the American Hawaiian
Steamship Company which has now four
fine steamers in commission and five
more in course of construction. This
strong American company is handling al
present a large proportion of the Hawai-
ian export trade. and no observer of con-
dit!ons in the Islands Is better qualified
to speak with authority of their needs
than Mr.. George S. Dearborn, the pres
ident and active manager of this line.
In reply to the inquiries of The EN-
pansionist Mr.. Dearborn said:
Hawai's sugar crop overshadows every
other product of the Islands today from
commercial point of view. Some wool
is clipped, but this is not yet an i'm
portant product. There has been a sue
cessful growth of high-grade coffee to "A
limited extent and there is already
considerable production of fine bananas
pineapples and other fruits. with an eX-
cel!ent prospect of extension If reliable
labor could be secured. Last years crop
Of sugar, roundly figured, was 100000
tons. 1t would probably have reached
100000 tons had it not been for labor
troublesome strikes exactly, as the term
is commonly applied but rather the in
dolent and obstinate determination of
the body of laborers to make their work
ing days to suit their-own whims.
The most pressing and vital concern
Of Hawaii at present is how to secure
and maintain supply of competent la
Dor adequate to the rising demands of
the plantations. The lack of this supply
is already greatly dsheartenng to en-
terprse and disastrous to investments
already made. For "A clear understanding
Of this problem ii must first be realized
that the requisite labor supply can not
be obtained from the present population.
This Is inadequate to the demands. ana
the more so because the NAIVE Hawaii
an is rarely willing to work in the sugar
fields. He takes to water like a duck,
and, when he wants employment he usu-
ally seeks it as boatman fisherman, or
longshoreman. His wants are few, and
as long as he can get a living he will
turn his back on the hot, hard, plodding
WORK or the sugar plantation so the
advance of sugar growing is necessarily
dependent on foreign labor.
The most Industrious efficient, and re-
liable laborers on the plantations are UNI
questionably the Chinese. Under the ex-
clusion enforced by the Geary Act. it has
been necessary to seek for laborers from
other nations. The Japanese on the ISL
ands are fairly good workmen when they
are willing to work. They have not yet
advanced to the institution of labor UNI
ions and walking delegates. Lut they
have not missed any open chance of prof
it-sharing. Immediately upon the annex
alton of the Islands they demanded a big
increase of wages-averaging perhaps
thirty per cent. They got 1t, but, instead
of operating an incentive. the increase
actually caused falling off i'm the work
Now they can hardly be induced to labor
more than three days in the week. If
there was an abundant supply of labor
their loaiing would he less vexing; but
under existing conditions, it is Gripping
to the industry.
An attempt has been made to fill the
melting ranks of labor by inviting the
immigration of Porto Ricans. Perhaps
there are now over 5000 natives of Porto
Rico in the Islands, and 5000 more COM
ing in. This influx is of some service
though the greater part is unsklled la
Dor, but unfortunately the average Porto
R!can immigrant is not a steady worker