The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-16
COMPLAINTS Of
TIE PORTUGUESE

Honolulu, Oahu, November 10, 1906.
Editor Advertiser: In your editorial
of Nov. 18th issue entitled "Portu-
guese and an Open Door Policy you
state that it is difficult to see why
| Portuguese settlers should ignore the
chances which the land office offers to
acquire small farms. With your per-
mission I will endeavor to give you
a few of the reasons why:
LIST. The lack of market to sell their
product and exorbitant steamer and
other transportation rates.
End. The lack of funds to keep them
until their. crop is harvested, without
which their large families suffer.
Srd. The failure of assistance and
helpful facilities at the hands of the
land office
4th. The lack of knowledge of what
the government offers.
The above stated reasons are not the
only ones. I could cite many others but
as these are in my opinion the most
important l Will confine myself to them
alone, believing they are sufficient.
| Now, in reference to the Portuguese
going away to seek homes in Cali
fornia L contend that the reckless dis
examination against them by the plan
tiers is the cause of it. At one time
the Portuguese had the best Jobs
around the plantations with small plots
of land upon which they raised veget-
ables and fruits which enabled them
to live cheaply, but now on many plan
tations those plots of land have either
been taken away from them and Gull
t1Vated in cane or else the uncertainty
of how long they are to remain on the
place caused them to abandon them,
thereby making their living expenses
much greater with no chance to save
anything out of their small salaries
Japanese have taken their places in
almost every job by them held, and the
Portuguese being forced out to the
fields at small wage naturally rebel
with the result that every steamer
takes a load of them to California,
where they believe a white mans |
chance can be had without being |
Disseminated against.
The claim that the Portuguese can
have the same chance as was given to !
the Molokans is a fallacious one: the |
land office as far as I know never |
publicly stated the terms of said con- |
tract and not until recently did any
one know that the Kappa lands We're
open for settlement. It is therefore |
up to the land office to announce the /
terms it offers, which if reasonable I |
believe some of the Portuguese will |
take up, and advertise same in the |
Portuguese papers in Honolulu. In /
connection with organizing settlement |
not pay the thankless job: the ex-
periences of our friends in Hilo who
bravely fought the land office are still
fresh in our minds and if the same
policy is to be followed continually 1
venture to say that there Will be a
long time before any of the Portu-
guese will have the temerity to tackle
the proposition. i
In conclusion I may say that the
remedy is in the hands of the powers
that be: let the planters put the Port
uguese back in the places they took
from them; give them land enough for
a vegetable patch: offer to those now
here the same advantages offered those
on the way. and last but not least
when Portuguese are employed in any
position be generous.
enough to pay him the same wages
that would be paid to a so-termed ha-
ole. If this is done the Portuguese will
not complain of discrimination, and I
am sure, many of those who are now
getting ready to go to the Coast will
change their mind and stay in the
Thanking you for space allowed me
am.
Respectfully yours,
MANUEL A SILVA. |