The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-19
EDUCATION OR IGNORANCE,
WHICH,

now being brought here with their
parents. How far it represents the
ideas Of those who are bringing the
Porto Ricans here we are not pre-
pared to say, but we beiieTe that
many OF those instrumental in bring
ing this class of ignorant laporers to
Hawaii, II they could have their way,
would oppose the education OF these
people. 1t is the old cry OF the feudal
lords, who declared that Iaie must
be heyers Of wood while Others must
be lords Of the manor
Several weeks ago the writer. upon
the invitation of Mr.. r A. Macfie, ae-
companied that gentleman to the
quarters of the Porto Ricans on the
waialua plantation Mr.. Macfe vas
quite enthusiastic over the bright out
look for the Porto Rieans. believing
that in time they would make good
sooner had we reached the quarters
of the Porto Ricans than Mr.. Macile
was surrounded by chattering
crowd Asked as to their condition
and how they were being treated, the
Porto Ricans said they were being
well cared for, but complained that
the promises of schools for their chill
dren were not being carried out The
writer asked one father how many
children he had, and why they tai
not been sent to school. He replied
that he had two and that he had ask
ed about the school. but had not been
told that his children could go. The
head luna Whose name is withheld)
was asked both by Mr.. Macfie and
the writer why these children had not
been sent TO school?
Well, told them where the school
house was" replied the luna in a
sullen and coarse manner
Told these children on a strange
plantation in strange country where
the school house was and with this
telling they had about as much chance
of finding it as of finding the proven
bal needle in the haystack. To the
credit of Mr. Macfie. be it said. he
insisted that the children must be
sent to school: that the promises
made to these people in Porto Rico
of free schools for their children in
Hawaii must be kept But from the
manner or that head luna II is uouot.
full il those children have yet found
out where the school house is unless
some one else than the head luna has
been kind enough to direct them to it
OF course, the Advertiser does not
come out boldly and openly advocate
non-education of the Porto Ricans
though it questions the wisdom OF
schools for the Porto Ricans 1t says
schools were established for the ne
gro in the South after the war and
| asks what good they have accomplish
ed. No one except theorist expect
| ed the negro fresh from slavery and
/ ignorance to make the same advance
in education in the first generation at
ter his liberation that the white mar
would make during the same period
The race question has been a serious
one in the South and will be for years
TO come. but every southern man de
clares that the condition of today i:
UNNECESSARILY better than under slave
conditions. The South is advancins
as never before In her history and il
this advancement the negro is shar
ing OF course there are "smarty'
negroes just as there are ''smarty'
/ whites. but the black man as a Who'll,
is making the most of his improved
condition and his advantages for edu
lcation and is advancing along witt
the rest OF the world
I No man in an the South toda,
would agree under any circumstance:
to return to the old condition of thing.
with slavery and its attending ignor
ance and immoralities- It remains fol
the editor of an Anglo-Saxon paper II
the corporation-ruled Territory OF Ha
wall 10 advocate a return to the oil
slave days in this Territory when con
| tract laborers were held as chattel
and when the statute books were en-
II cambered with laws providing for tn,
arrest and return 10 the owner of al
| contract laborers. Men were here il
those days who prated about thei
free American institutions and at tn
same time held as contract iaborers
or slaves. IL you please. orientals b,
4 the thousand.
Be it said to the credit of the people
however. that there was enough leay
en- of real Christian sentiment in tn
community 20 provide for the educa
ton and enlightenment Of the youni
Of these slaves: an education that tn,
Advertiser now questions the wisdom
| OF. Just as it fails to see what goo
is 70 be accomplished by providing
schools for the Porto Ricsns-