The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-02-28
HAWAlI'S PROBLEM
tcontin ied from pas, -

.Htlanpl with the WOfk.
1--WE men worked 10 months -Dissa'-
i.UDd with tho work. but stayed uuth
crop was mature 60 fulhl agreement
Do au. tHe % men worked ia months
Gtutul average Of time at the plan
tau0n. JOG months
From tho outset there was disssns'Ou
among these farmers. Comp .aiuts. triWal
aud otherwise, were constantly made;
DHtra men were always needed 90 keep
their fields in order, and although only
five OF the fifteen Remained. these were,
however. dissatisfied and stayed only un-
900 completion Of the maturity Of the
crop TO obtain the benefits therefrom.
During the time OF their employment
they had received each over $40 per
month iu cash. free rent hruwood, water
and medical attondaucc-more Ia fact
than the plantation could afford TO pay
for profitable cultivation; and yet these
tive men refused 10 entertain a similar
proposition for continuance Of the field
work.
The experiment was a failure. Not one
of these fifteen farmers was Incorporate,
they quairellod ana were dissatisfied;
said the work was mental. laborious and
diatasteful 90 white men. As these were
AN respectable. law-ab.din temperate
men, the only conclusion that can be
reached is that American farmers viii
not work In the cultivation Of the ilolds
of the Hawaiian Islands. The work was
distastcful 20 them IN the warm climate.
The farmers pcriO med but one. and that
| the lightest portion of the work, 10 wit
the hOcinE ana irrigaung Of the cane,
cons.rug of removing by the hoe the
weeds from thc burrows aud turning IN
water iu the various water courses for
! irrigation. They dld not cultivate 80 wei
] or so much land as the AsiJUc ldborer.
| No complaint was made 10y them that
| the plantation had not fulnlled its agree
mout.
10 was the aim Of the company at the
outset TO establish further colonies Of
| American farmers, and to draw from the
! United states labOrors who would DE
American In spirit and do away with the
necessity Of looking entirely TO the orr
ent or 20 the Portuguese colonies for la
| Dor 1t Is unfortunate that the expert
ment was fiat failure.
one obstacle in the way OF the success
OF the experiment was, and always has
been, the remoteness of the Islands from
the homes OF the men, and this geo.
graphical drawback must always exist.
Within the last three months an at
tempt has been made by one OF the most
prominent contractors on the Islands TO
introduce white men to work upon the
construction OF a railroad on the Island
OF Hawaii. a contract was given to cei
tain labor contractors TO enlist white
men 10 go to that island and take sub
. contracts In the construction OF the rail
road. Twenty-eight men were ootained
TO do wood cutting, grading and some
rock work. Twenty per cent more wages
was offered the white laborers than the
ordinary workmen upon the road. "A days
work being placed at about 81. The con-
tracts were steady and the laborers could
net from SIS to $50 per week. Ten hours
a day constituted the days labor. At
the end Of two months just one or the
y men remained. Some OF the men soon
learned that there was a difference be-
tween the wages paid them and the
wages paid the Japanese. and began en-
tlcing hands from the adjoining planta-
tons, and taking charge Of these men
themselves, ondeavoring to direct the
work of Others, but not doing any labor
themselves. Each man had his own cab
In and lived absolutely independent OF
the rest. They made no attempt at econ
omy, many of them insisting upon hav-
ing canned goods daily, and spent So per
diem upon their food
This class OF labor was not good. The
men had dislike for continuous work
and were much more likely TO visit the
saloons than to attend 10 the duties as.
signed them.
Ultimately II was necessary to supply
their places with Ital ans, and those last
ed only little longer than the other
whites, and the japanese were called up
on 10 finish the contract.
| The conclusion from these two expert
meuts &c.,, 20 my mind, evident that Amer
leans cannot be induced to go 20 Hawaii
and do the work ~ common luborcrs
The facts conquer the theory.
II g. consequently to Asia we must turn
for help. The Chinese restrict on net
bars us from obtaining laborcrs there.
il would Doe well for Us # We could do
30, because the Chinaman thrivcs wei In
Hawaii works wei and Is frugal. IL f.
true he can meyer assimilate with Amer
leans, and that he Is I'm many ways an
, undesirable member Of society; but my
, cNper cuCc IN Hawaii leads me 10 b.lioyp
that they are far better labo ors ana res.
idonts than the foreigner Of European
bir,n who, instead OF laboHlg himself
stands around with hands en- his pockets
and drclaims against the Chlnamun.
As We cannot get them, We must be
p content with the japanese: and / trust n
p may Doe possible TO so manage that W.
can obtain them I'm sufficient numbers u
. carry TO successful completion the many
: important enterprises now under way.
our plantations are the baclSlou Oi
g our Territory No manufacture f. car,
g ried on I'm Hawaii except I'm connect on
with the sugar Industry our people
D are supported by Il; It is the foundation
@ OF our commerce; i Is our commercial
life.
8. And our common country should no
, forget its Island children, nor seek Il
i extend relief 10 the oppressed OF othe
o lands to the detriment of It's own house
c hold,
d My belief Is that II will take some .
r years for Hawaii TO become nation o
home jewellers. ] mean by this that II
population Is, and must for some year
= to come be largely transitnry Just a
- In 80 people rushed 10 California expect
. ing TO make their fortunes there In
Sc short time and then to return TO thei
ar various homes, and as In later years
Ike rush has been made To the gol
fields 81 Alaska, so the common laborer
OF japanese and Chinese birth have gon