The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-05-24
PROF. STUBS ON
LABOR QUESTION.
CONTINUED from rag. -

shite Here the British Government In
trrvuncd ~ the appointment 81 agents
st the ports Of departure 60 sec that no
IRborer was taken away without mis- full
consent
These abuses gave birth 20 the coolic
laws OF the United States and simulta-
neously In Hawaii bureau OF lmmiara-
ton was established taking the business
OF importing laborers from the hands OF
tho planters and placing II under the
charge of the Kingdom. The Hawaians
claim that no such iniquity as above
mentioned ever disgruccd the efforts Of
their planters IN their work of import
ing laborers The "coolie system as
known elsewhere never existed on the
islands the law between employer and
employe known as the master and SER
want law" was mild. equitable and COM
pulsory for the specific fulfillment of
contracts.
In 1864 the board Of immigration was
established for the purpose of supern-
tending the importation OF foreign la
borers and the Introduction of immi-
grants. One of its first ordinances was
to prohibit private persons from intro
ducng laborers into the Kingdom under
heavy penalty. Another was to adopt
measures looking to the Introduction OF
free immigrants, males and females,
from the Azores, Canaries and Cape de
Verde in the Atlantic, and from any Of
the Pacific isles. Passages were to be
paid by the Government and a bounty
per head to the captain of the ship. Still
. another was the chartering of a ship to
send to China to procure more Chinese
laborers. The first ordinance gave great
offense to the planters, but the board
firmly adhered to it.
In 1866 DIR. Hillebrand was appointed
commissioner to go abroad and study the
possibilities of obtaining desirable immi-
grants from India, Japan and Malaysia.
In the meanwhile, to meet the present
demands he was first to visit China and
forward a shipload or two of coolies to
the islands. In December, 1865, the first
installment of immigrants arrived from
the Caroline Islands. The bureau sane
toned the contracts with the planters.
simultaneously a small number of Mar
quesans were introduced. Dr. Hillebrand
simultaneously forwarded from Hong
kong two shiploads of coolies. The plant
er acquired the needed laborer, but the
people desired immigrants who would as
simulate with them, infuse vigor into the
impaired constitutions of the natives,
check the decrease of the inhabitants of
the Kingdom, and give strength to the
national constitution.
King Kamehameha III saw with sor-
row and alarm his people rapidly declin-
ing in numbers, and naturally sought
some means of arresting this decay and
permanently repeopling his dominions.
To accomplish his purposes he authoriz-
ed Mr. Wyllie to negotiate with the Brit
ish Government with the view of obtain
ing consent to remove to the Islands all
of the inhabitants of Pitcairn's Island
and settle them as proprietors or tenants
on his own lands The project unfortu-
nately failed.
In the meanwhile other coolies were
introduced ... t...
In 1865 King Kamehameha w, in his
speech to the Legislature, said of the
coolies: 'They are not so kind and
tractable as was anticipated, and they
seem to have no affinities, attractions Or
tendencies to blend with this or any 9TH
er race" He recommended trying "the
inhabitants Of other Polynesian groups;
they would be easily acclmated; would
soon learn the language, and might bring
with them their wives, whose fecnndity
was much greater than that of the Ha-
waiian females. and. besides furnishing
labor, would pave the way for future
population of native-born Hawaiians in
distinguishable from the aboriginal par
ents." But Mr.. wyllie. Minister Of For
eign Affairs, saw danger ahead In such
a project. He feared the numerical su-
periortty of the aborigineS over the
whites, and did not believe they, would
devote themselves willingly to work. un-
less under contract under the Act for
the government of mastery and SER
wants." as was done with the Chinese.
Noththg came out of this controversy
Gmalb Amportatfons of. coolies continued,
At first their labor was very unsatisfac-
tory Not understanding the language
nor the character of the work required,
frictisn between master and servant fire.
queutiy occurred. But the laborers grad
sallys improved.
In 1888 occurred the convention between
China, England and France. at which
the, right to draw labor from Chinese
ports was exclusively restricted to treaty
powers. The Hawaiian Kingdom was
not q treaty power, and therefore had
to transact all future business under the
protection of a foreign flag and through
q foreign firm.
This restriction turned again the atten-
ton of the board to Polynesia, where
settlers and not merely hands for the
planters might be obtained, but upon
further investigation the plan was aban-
doned.
In 1868 two eminent persons were sent
on an expedition with two ships to visit
the various isles OF the PACING and At
borers for the Kingdom. One ship re-
turned with a cargo from Caroline and
Humphrey Islands. having visited many
others without success.
These immigrants were clearly. intelli-
gent, docile. Christian, speaking Ian
Euage similar to Hawaiian. The other
ship brought a cargo from the Danger
Islands. These We're far from being sat
isfactory to their subsequent employers,
many of whom were ultimately released
and returned to their native islands. .
Soon after these importations another
controversy arose as to the class OF fu-
ture immigrants. Great dissatisfaction
was felt by the King and council at the
large number OF Chinese already In the |
Islands, since they desired immigrants
more nearly related to the Hawaiians. |
An anti-ooolie party. consisting chiefly |
OF mechanics and tradesmen. strongly |
opposed the further introduction OF Cal |