Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-12-12
LABOR UNIONS AND THE
PLANTATIONS,

The communication by Citizen" on |
the labor question Of the Islands com.
ing from a white mechanic of the city !
and one interested in labor organiza.
tons sets forth one side of the labor
discussion that has not come pronii.
nently before the public. 1t repre-
a good number of our local labor or.
CARNATIONS and expresses many of
the sentiments encountered by Secre-
tary Harris CT the Merchants Assoc
citation when he held conference
with the Trades Council.
The Bulletin believes that the gen.
eral discussion now going on in con-
nectlon with labor conditions will be
OF vast benefit to the community not
outstanding II is at times punctuated
with somewhat radical or even bitter
ordinations. The different elements
are certain to become better acquaint-
ed with each other and 1t will indeed
some virtue in the present antagonistic
opinions which will lead to a common
ground for reasonable action. One II
not the chief source of Hawaii's trou-
hles in politics and business has been
the habit of opposing factions holding
conclaves separately on the street cor
ner or in the back office, with the result
4.
out for the graft and guided by the
most selfish motives. Thus opinions
become intensified and the breach an
apparently impossible chasm.
Today we find one section OF the
community urging the importation OF
Chinese labor for plantation field
work, because good part of the finan-
cial depression Is due to the inability
OF plantations to obtain the labor ne
cessary to take off their crops; while
another element claims with our cor
respondent that the cry for labor is
merely a scarecrow put up to Brighten
the people in order that larger divi-
dends may be paid on over capitalized
corporations.
No element or faction in the Terri
tory can be more honestly In favor of
building up larger leaven OF Ameri-
can labor than the Bulletin. We
want the American home with the in
telligence and independence II repre-
sents TO be the predominatinguuup
sents to be the predominant factor in
our social, political and business life.
The Bulletin believes this will even
tually come about, but there is a null
titude of problems to be solved before
the goal is reached. The speed with
which this is accomplished will de-
pend on the spirit of fairness, willing.
ness to give and take, rulingthe dis
cussion and action Of planters, labor
unions and merchants.
Whatever good things the future
may have for the Territory, ii must be
admitted that the present source of
prosperity Is sugar. The plantation
interests are, TO use a common phrase,
up against it" for labor. No one TAX
ing note Of efforts during the last year
TO enlist labor can say that the planta-
tons view with favor the gravitation
OF Orientals to the towns or anywhere
else outside the plantation fields II
would be source of supreme pleasure
to sugar barons." stockholders and
merchants II general exodus of ORR
entail labor from the towns to the PLAN
tations would take place. But II isn't
taking place and there is no indlca-
ton that it will Now what is to be
done. seek more labor for immediate
needs or let the plantations go to seed
and thus get rid of the Oriental and
American people whose living comes
AZ least indirectly from sugar?
Our correspondent says the Ameri-
can mechanics have been leaving the
Territory in large numbers. This Is
too true. What our people have to
consider is whether this emigration Ia
caused by the increase of orientals OF
TO the depression in trade caused by
the shortage Of labor on the planta-
tions. Have orientals been displacing
these former residents or has the de
preston SO reduced the volume of bust
ness that the work Is not here 10 be
done by either Orientals or Americans
Chinese have been leaving the Terri
tory in almost as large numbers as the
American mechanic. Win the impor'
tation OF Chinese laborers for field
work serve to turn the tide of Ameri'
can mechanics again toward Hawaii?
Hawaii has been struggling with new
conditions for two years and the chic
contest is TO see to II that the new
conditions shall not get the best OF Ha'
wall The whole system Of industr,
cannot be overturned in a day or q
year without financial and industrial
crash and the American laborer and
citizen is as much interested In avoid