Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-05-04
LABOR IN HAWAII.

An interesting report issued by the
Government Printing Office at Wash.
ington. under authority of the Senate
Committee on Pacific Islands and
Porto Rico, is that of the Commission
or of Labor, Mr.. Carroll d. Wright.
Much of the data from which the re.
port is compiled was gathered in this
Territory by Mr.. victor II. Olmsted,
al agent Of the Treasury Department
who was sent here for that purpose.
Some interesting facts as to the cost
of living here were secured by per.
sonal interviews with the different
families concerned those for rates OF
wages and hours of labor were obtain.
ci from the pay rolls of Representa-.
tive industries; those for retail prices
from different mercantile establish.
ments; while the particulars relating
to strikes were seCu%,d by personal
Interviews with both employer and
employees concerned in each disturb
ance.
Probably the most interesting feat.
ure of Mr.. Wright's Introductory re-
marks relates to labor in Honolulu
end on the plantations. OF the former
1t is found that skilled workmen, such
as carpenters, plumbers and machin'
lists. are well organized and their va
rious labor unions prosperous and in
| fuential. Because of the shortage OF
wurkmen and the profits arising from
their employment, the labor unions
have usually been able to secure ac
Quiescence on the part of employers
with the few demands made for in
creased wages or shorter hours with
out resorting to strikes, and strikes
that have occurred have usually beer
OF short duration and successful. Con
di;iOns surrounding the wage-earner!
of Honolulu are, in Mr.. Wright's jndg
ment, "as good as are usually founC
in the centers of population anywher,
in the United States, and far bette
than in some localities" 4 table Civ
lLP the earnings and cost of living o
eighty workers in skilled trades, al
If whom have families, Shows that n,
less than seventy-one Of the familie
are saving money, the highest saving
, being $3.50 a year.
Mr.. Wright finds that the unsatisfaC
tory labor conditions on the plnnta
tions are rendered more acute by tn
steady decrease in the actual humble
Of laborers in the Islands, which Is be
| ing diminished constantly, both by Oh
natural causes of death or disabilit
through old age or sickness and b
I the tendency of the average MongG
( lar to return to his native land whe
e he has accumulated sufficient none
y TO constitute a competency or 10 ei
D g2ge in business in his own countr,
!. Since the organization of the Island
as a Territory the immigration
i | Nh'h'oN h"o ''uoNu Nh'il'lgr WHllt III
}. arrivals of Japanese have been con
e Pnratively few in number. In concl
sion we quote two extracts from NJ
O Wright's report:
}. while the severity OF the labor r
e CURED in the sugar fields has bee
n thought too great for the Angle. Sake
!. satisfactorily to perform, the Teri
/. tory undoubtedly affords many a
:. VI ntages to the agricultural lahore
A The character of the climate is SUE
d as never to prevent him from wor
It ing and the employment is of a kin
e to give him the opportunity for co
Il t.nuous work.
n 1.-THE cost Of living, so far as 70,
j.. IS concerned. is somewhat high,
than in other portions OF the Unit
I, States. but this increase Is offset
d the relatively higher wages paid,
s the continuity Of employment, al
!. by the low cost ~ wearing appar
& the mild climate demanding very |
Q. tie expenditure In this direction"