The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-01

mer contract labor system, many {
them wandered from plantation to plan
tation. seeking to get higher wages
more largely no doubt. out of desir
for change. or for mere curiosity. THE
have not the solidity and stability Q
the Chinese one will say. But it mus
be considered that so-called solidity G
character frequently goes along wit
stolidity. However, after this wander
ing propensity was satisfied, the labor
ers settled down to regular work again
and little complaint is now heard
From any point of view, the laborer
that do perhaps two-thirds of the wor
on the plantations in the annual pro
duction of 3.v,.vv tons of sugar are o
primary and first-class Importance il
economic consideration in this Terri
tory.
Agriculture is the basis of prosperit,
throughout the United States Wher
the farmers are prosperous, all other in
dustries are prosperous likewise: ant
when agriculture languishes dull time:
and complaint follow.
Agriculture is as yet and perhaps
ever will be, the chief source of pros
I.erity in Hawaii. From the the nature
of the soil, latitude, climate and water
distribution, cane cultivation is the
chief source of our agricultural pros
perity.
the Japanese are the principal, al
most the only source of labor supply
II is a matter of qualification that SO
efficient a source as to numbers and ca
pability are at hand. 1t is a matter of
the commoneSt observation here that
when the plantation interest is flourish
ing, all other industries flourish. Build
ings and improvements of every nature
&C on apace. Dividends from the plan
tations indirectly give remunerative
employment to skilled mechanics Of ev-
cry kind. Eliminate the unskiled ia
panese labor on the plantations, and
stagnation and disaster would soon en-
sue. Every consideration of prudence
therefore, should endeavor to keep open
the source of SUPPLY r. take the places
of those that depart. For the past two
or three years. many more Japanese
laborers have gone away than have
come in. The plantations are now
riously in need of more laborers.
The planters as a rule are giving in
creased attention to the various con-
siderations that make for the comfort
and well-being of their laborers. Es
pecially is this a marked feature on the
large, new plantations organized in the
last two or three years. Larger and
better quarters. in the most healthful
situa lions, of better water supply for
Dathlng purposes pure water f. 10
mestic uses, are now the rule and not
the exception. The manager of one of
the largest plantations told the writer
that 1t was always easy for his Dlanta-
ton to get all the Japanese laborers
he wanted. because of the plentiful sup
ply of water and the fine bathing facili-
ties offered.
Adverting to the influence of Jana
nese laborers in the production of the
main staples of Hawaii. another fact
'f considerable importance to the we'll
being of the industrial body may be
ioted. ne main food of the JapaneSa
: rice All the rice now produced in
he islands is scarcely enough for do
nestle consumption. New, and hither-
u waste lands, are brought under crI-
ivation. to the great profit of both the
government and people. to supply food
or this class of workers. This industry
: entirely in the hands of the Chinese.
o large number of whom it gives
'rohtable employment. But the Chi
iese rent their rice lands from Hawaii
MS Anerlcars and others. paying. af-
er one or two years, very high rental
ven so high as from $50 to $50 per acre
er year Thus the japanese consnmr-
ion of rice indirectly benefits a large
lumber of other people
HE JAPANESE AS TAXPAYERS
In addition to their value as planta-
ION laborers the Japanese must be
1nsldered as contributors to the Terri
orlal revenue as taxpayers. The last
omplled statistics / am in possession
is the Report of the Assessors to tn.
Tinister of Finance for 1899. In this re-
ort I find that the Japanese -