The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-04-22
ARMSTRONG
ON LABOR
ALetter About the
Local Test of
Negroes.

lowing letter from Hon W. n ARM
slruns:
GAS n contribution to the history Of
the negro in America. there should be
some record preserved of the failuro.
this year. ~ the plan t0 settle negro
laoorers in Hawaii
after the annexation Of the Islands
to the United States. Do 1887 laws
which permitted the laborer 60 be inn
prisoned u he refused 10 fulnl his con-
tract, were repealed. These laws were
necessary and even just when the Inn
ported laborers were ignorant and the
cost OF importing them was heavy.
In this way only could the planter be
protected from loss on the repeal OF
these laws. the laborers who were I'M
der contract at once abandoned their
obligations, out OF a sense Of independ-
ence, and in spite OF wages far larger
than they received at home. At once
the Islands were filled with japanese
tramps who refused 10 work, and the
prosperity OF the sugar plantations was
seriously In danger.
"One large plantation on the Island
Of Maui-the largest plantation in the
world-determined 10 try negro labor
This plantation lies directly I'm front OF
was born. II. chief official was a class
mate Of General Armstrong, and has
done much for the Improvement OF the
native Hawaiian race. Owing to the
reports here that the negroes are not
reliable workers even when wages are
| high. most OF the planters opposed the
plan. The Hawaiian Commercial
| Company tried ii at it's own cost. Ne
gotiations We're made with the Southern
| Pacific Railway Co for the collection
and transportation OF laborers from the
South. 1t was agreed that only negroes
| of the farming class and their families
! should be engaged. City negroes were
| to be rigidly excluded. The terms Of
| fered We're free transportation. which
| amounted TO 800 per man, and free
transportation for families, free houses,
| free schools for children. free medical
attendance, wages running from SIS per
mnoth, with "A bonus besides for steady
work, the wages TO be permanent and
! payable monthly.
Being familiar with negro labor In
| the South, ] advised that the subject
should be carefully studied in advance
by some competent person, for some
| months, 50 that no errors would be
made. ] advised that a body OF nifty
families should be selected, even III II
took a year to get them; that these
should be placed on the plantation and
carefully tried; that II, at the end of a
year or more, the scheme was success
full, some OF these laborers should bc
employed as missionaries who should
return to the States and invite theii
brethren to emigrate.
MY suggestions were not followed
Laborers were sorely needed, and th'
transportation company wished to en-
gage In large business at once
Tramps were ready 10 come, but relia'
BILE people hesitated for fear OF beini
deceived. Southern white men tolls
them that they would find slavery law
full in the Islands Many hesitated 4
leave home for a distant place. Thu
was perfectly natural. Though tn
r statements Of the transportation agent
. were true, the people had no means o
? verifying them. About ninety negroe
. were recruited from Alabama and Ten
} nessee. On the voyage from the main
land they were well cared for. Man.
OF them had never seen such a variet.
OF food as was placed before them.
/ was on the same steamer with tn
, largest body OF them. In May OF thi
year, the immigrants reached the plan
! tatlon and were soon put to work. High
er wages were given In many case
than had been promised.
a But the experiment has been a sa
4 failure. Some OF the men have prove
to be excellent workers, but the ma
jority are not. Too many city tramp
. were in the lot. These soon becam
| discontinued. one OF them committe
] highway robbery on japanese, an
the numerous japanese laborers ros
e up and demanded the expulsion OF n
= Of the negroes. The plantation ser
2 away the worst men, though IL sustain
= ed much loss in so doing. Some OF thel
0 declared that they had not come out I
do field work; some said the work wa
e too hard: some wanted to select III
y work they preferred. Some of the
e when they heard OF the payment
i higher wages in the town, left an
d abandoned their contracts. which II
volyed loss to the plantation. 81
i months have passed and the feelin
= here Is strong against any further e,
periments OF this kind. 1t Is believe
: that these immigrants are a fair san
pie OF negro laborers. This is unjus
II Is unfortunate that more care was n,
n taken in the selection. 1t may be sal
mere tHat all experiments IN Emporium
white laborers from America and II
e North OF Europe have also been equa
y ly disastrous. Little care has been tai
g en- in selecting the right kind OF me
One plantation which imported &c
'e mans Is an exception.
"The immigration Of the negro Is n
lie desirable. There Is abundance OF roo
"a for him at home. At the same time, II
white man will not become the "bacl
he bone" OF these Islands. and here Is
Is chance for the negro to develop and b
r come the mainstay OF the Territor
he The white man will not till the sol
~ he Is content to do the trading. r.
J. Asiatics may IN time be the DONNA
T. race here and become thorough
re Americanized.'
1t Is interesting to note in this co
nection that General Armstrong in h
IL lattprs from the Tqlap in 1870 III,