The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-12-11


Japanese arrived. A lack of proper
arrangements led to a suspension of
the inflow, but in March, 1886, the
emigration convention was signed.
The immigration assumed such large
proportions as to lead the Hawaiian
authorities to believe that it would
become nnmanageable. Accordingly
several of the ships containing Japan
ese laborers We're sent back without be-
ing allowed to land their passengers.
diplomatic rupture resulted, which
was about to be referred to arbitration
when the annexation of Hawaii caused
a hurried payment of S75. 900 in settle
ment of her claim for damages. Be
tween 1886 and 1896 there were 32,056
Japanese immigrants, and only S,969
departures back to Japan. In 1899
20,55S males, 1922 females and 633
children arrived, total of 26,103 (out
of total immigration of 32,725); and
only 2,fS0 left-2,074 men, AT women
and 289 children. And these figures
must be considered in the light of the
fact that there are no longer any es-
pay thir own fares.
laborers are now being made, arrange
ments having been concluded for the
supply of nearly 10000 of whom some
1000 have already been seEt in 1901.
Negroes have been tried, but have
caused endless trouble. and the plant
ers do not favor further immigration.
Recently Portuguese from Massachu-
settes, and Greeks, were being brought
to the islands. The latter show much
disinclination to come; of a body OF
81 on their way only Ia arrived at their
destination. 1t has never been found
feasible to induce large bodies of white
immigrants to come, though the au-
thorities tried hard to induce white
immigration.
The total number of laborers OF all
nationalities on the plantations on De-
cember 81, 1899, was about ;0560, OF
whom some 20, $40 were under contract.
The Hawaiian Territorial act, however,
put an end to all such contracts made
since the annexation of the Islands to
the United States.
PROFIT SHARING.
Since the contract system has been
abolished system of profit-shari1g
between planters and employees has
been introduced with much success. To
quote from the Handbook on the
Sugar Industry of the Hawaiian
Islands: AT the well-known Eva
Plantation, nearly 600 Asiatics and
small group of Americans are now
cultivating cane upon the following
cooperative basis. The plantation
with its steam plows and special equip
nj re
and gives the cane its first irrigation.
1t also furnishes the laborer with free
house, fuel and water, a garden PLOT
and medical service if needed. Guilt
waiting tools. water for irrigation, and
movable railroad track for harvesting
the cane are all furnished free. The
plantation also makes monthly al
vances of cash (without interest) for
the living expenses Of the laborer
The laborer agrees to cultivate and
strip the cane, and cut and deliver 1t
on the cars, under general direction OF
the plantation manager. On his failing
to do so properly, the manager Is priv
ileged to do the work and charge the
same to the tenant at regular rates or
wages. At the mill the cane is weighed
and the laborer receives one-sixth or
the sale proceeds, the entire cost OF
manufacture being borne by the plan
tation. Immediately after grinding,
settlement is made with the worker at
a fixed rate per ton of sugar; later,
when the returns are had on that ship
ment. any balance due the laborer IS
paid over to him. Contracts for culti-
yation are usually made to cover an
entire field, the ground being subdiv1d-
ed among a group of -laborers, assign
ing about seven acres to Asiatics and
ten acres to American laborers. On
this basis it is expected that white
laborers will make about $40 per
month and Asiaties in proportion
This, with free house rent, fuel, water
and garden, is certainly very FAIR
return for unskilled labor"
As to the positions filled by the dif-
ferent races. a rough division may be
made as follows: The Portuguese are
the teamsters and lower oyerseers
Ounas); the Hawaiians are employed
in light work and about the mills;
Chinese, Porto Ricans and Negroes do
simply coolie work in the fields and the
mills; while the Japanese are to be
found everywhere. Practically all
skilled workmen, as well as a great
portion of the field laborers, are Jap
anese. For instance, on one plantation
on the Island of Oahu, The Waialus
Agricultural Company, Limited. where
there are 2,100 men employed, over
! 600 of them are Japanese. There are
200 Portuguese and 40 whites, about
200 Porto Ricans, and the rest mainly
Chinese On this plantation there are
also about 100 japanese women cm-
ployed. who earn up to SIG month.
Their household work is so slight that
the women find it easy to work in the
fields and add to the household reve-
nue. This plantation may be taken rs
typical of all the others; as, although
of comparatively recent establishment,
il will soon have the largest output Of
any in the Islands. and it is equipped
with the newest and most perfect ma
chinery. All this machinery is run by
Japanese engineers, there being only
three white engineers to superintend
the work. In the mill the large pump
which supplies all the water necessary
for the extraction of the sugar IS IN
absolute charge of japanese engiLeeT.
The plantation hours are from
m. to 4: 80 p. m. with half an hour for
lunch and Sunday a holiday. In addi-
ton to the day gangs there are night