The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-15
SOWING THE WIND.

leu % me sugar tLdALdLAuAS dA Nle
present time is more Iaborers. Every
one recognizes the Importance Of the
sugar industry and the need Of add
tioual lsborers. but the sugar men
themselves are making a serious mis-
take that they viii pay dearly for in
bringing Porto Ricans TO Hawaii 10
work in the cane fields. They are
neither physically. mentally nor moral
~ OF the calibre to make good citizens.
Thee strength Of every state rests on
the homes Under the present labor
system In Hawaii the home is not built
up Husbandry is not encouraged.
I.aborers are mere machines to be
housed after a fashion and fed just
as a piece OF machinery might be
kept under cover from the rains and
supplied with fuel. While the Porto
Ricans may in way supply a press
ing need their importation will in the
end work a great hardship upon the
people at large and upon the taxpay-
ers OF whom the sugar men are a
large factor
The time will come. and come soon
or than expected, when the importa-
ton Of Porto Ricans viii be much more
regretted than is the casting aside of
the good advice of B. F. Dillingham;,
in relation to the Portuguese contract
laborers Of a dozen or more years ago
now regretted by the far-seeing and
thinking planters Mr.. Dillingham;
proposed that these laborers should be
allotted tracts of land on the profit
} sharing plan at the expiration OF their
contracts. but his recommendations
were ignored. The result was that
several thousand industrious and fru-
gal laborers, men who would have
made most desirable citizens, emigrat-
ed to California and the new State
Of Washington where they engaged in
gardening and farming and where
they have become owners as well as
tillers of the soil These states offer
ed them opportunities to become
landed proprietors in small way
opportunities that were denied them
in Hawaii.
Thus far in her history Hawaii has
never had a poorhouse within her
confines The only thing savoring of
eleemosynary institutions has been
government physicians who have at
tended the poor free of charge. the
government paying these physicians
stated sums per annum for their ser
vices. With the coming of the Porto
RiCan poorhouses will have to be pro-
Tided for the INDECENT poor, most of
whom will be so afflicted with various
diseases as TO render them utterly in
capable Of self-support even if dispos-
ed TO support themselves.
The Porto Rican is not a good
worker. claims to the contrary by
interested parties Notwithstanding.
Those brought here are diseased.
indolent. ignorant and in many
cases vicious. Asked why they
came they say they expected to have
a good trip and TO be weA taken care
OF here. All look forward TO coming
to Hilo or Honolulu TO live and already
the exodus from the plantations is set
ting in. in small way. In the towns
they will find self-support difficult,
thievery viii follow for some and for
others charity viii have TO provide for
their maintenance.
A physician on one of the largest
plantations on the Island Of Hawaii
and who is also the government physi-
clan for his district said to the writer
a few days ago;
The bringing of the Porto Ricans
to Hawaii as labOrers is the greatest
mistake ever made. They are not fit
ted for labor in our canefelds and
their further importation ought TO be
prohibited. We had one lot OF thirty
assigned to our plantation and after
their arrival advised Mr.. b. the man
aver. not TO have any more OF them
sent 10 him They are an anaemic,
diseased lot, and il viii take several
generations 10 make anything out of
them. The shipping Of thousands Of
them here in the way in which they
have been sent is an outrage. OF the
lot sent 70 our plantation scarcely one
was able TO work and not one was able
10 do 3 fair days work. Several were
N the last stages OF tuberculosis. They
have the tropical itch. are lousy and
are everything that people should not
be. One man in our lot was suffering
from hernia in the most severe state.
! asked him how long be had had il.
Twenty years.' was the reply.
Were sou not examined before
leaving Porto Rieor l asked.
No Senor.' was the answer.
Another man found 10 be suffer