The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-23
CThe N. Y. Expansionist.)


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
fruits of annexation, for it was certainly
stimulated by the rising demands of the
sugar crop, with a positive assurance
of great home market. Two years ago
the clipper ship lines of Flint & Co. and
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 at
present a large proportion of the Hawai-
ian export trade, and no observer of con-
ditions in the Islands is better qualified
to speak with authority of their needs
than Mr.. George S. Dearborn, the pres
dent and active manager of this line.
In reply to the inquiries of The Ex-
pansionist, Mr. Dearborn said:
Hawaii's sugar crop overshadows every
other product of the Islands today from
a 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 a
considerable production of fine bananas.
| pineapples and other fruits, with an ex-
cellent prospect of extension if reliable
labor could be secured Last years crop
of sugar roundly figured, was 10000
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
doient and obstinate determine ton of
the body of Iaborers 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 a supply of competent la
| Dor adequate to the rising demands Of
the plantations. The lack of this supply
is already greatly disheartening to en-
terprise and disastrous to investments
already made For clear understanding
of this problem it 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 nadve Hawaii
an is rarely willing to work in the sugar
fields. He takes to water like duck
and, when he wants employment, he usu-
ally seeks it as boatman, fisherman, OF
Ilongshoreman. His wants are few, and
as long as he can get a living he viii
turn his back on the hot, hard pEodding
work of 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 un,
questfonably the Chinese Under the Elk.
clusion enforced by the Geary Act. it has
been necessary to seek for Iaborers from
other nations. The Japanese on the Isl.
ands are fairly good workmen when they
are willing to work. They have not ye
advanced to the institution of labor un.
ions and walking delegates Lut they
have not missed any open chance of prof
Iit-sharing. Immediately upon the annex
alton of the Islands they demanded a bis
increase of wageS-averag ing perhaps
thirty per cent. They got it, but, instead
of operating as an incentive, the increast
Iactually caused a falling off in the work
Now they can hardly be induced to labo
more than three days in the week
there was an abundant supply of labor
their loafing would be less vexing: but
under existing conditions, it is cripplin;
to the industry.
An attempt has been made to fill tn
melting ranks of labor by inviting tn
immigration of Porto Ricans. Perhap
there are now over 5000 natives of Port
Rico in the Islands, and 5000 more com
ing in. This influx is of some service
though the greater part is unsk!lIed la