The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-11-22

ing for wages. so small and the pro-
portion of independent producers Sc
large. But in Hawaii, although pre-
Iponderatingly agricultural community
the citizens represent largely two
classes-a small group of employers
and an overwhelmingly large prepon-
derance of wage earners. There are
no successive gradations from one
economic class to another, as there is
on the mainland, where the higher
paid wage Garner and the smaller en-
ployer approach each other in econo-
mic Importance. In Hawaii there is a
wide gap between employer and wage
Garner.
LACK OF COMMON, POLITICAL
AND SOCIAL INTERESTS.
In American communities, however
great may be the diversity or opposi-
ton of economic interests between en-
ployer and wage-earner, they have
common social and political interests
that draw them together and ANAL
gamate them into the common body
of citizens. But in Hawaii, with its
Oriental labor-population excluded
from citizenship by law, and appar-
emily Indifferent to citizenship as a
matter of fact, there is no common
tie whatever, and the gap between
employer and wage-earner is at once
an economic gap, a social gap, and a
political gap. There is no community
of thought, or Of feeling, or of SYM
pathy. The character of an Oriental
coolie population degrades the idea of
labor, as did slave labor in the South.
The Asiatic laborers are looked upon
with contempt by their white employ
ers, but they, in turn, reciprocate
thoroughly the race contempt which
the white class feels for them. Even
the second generation of Orientals will
develop a less desirable citizen class in
Hawaii than would be the case on the
mainland. The process of amalgama-
ton and assimilation which might to
some degree go on in mainland COM
munity with it's American ideals and
conditions fixed settled, and dominant
and in which the population is over
whelmingly American, cannot be ex-
pected in a community in which only
a very small percentage of the popu-
who have known representative gov
eminent and have long had traditions
of free institutions.
But even if the white population of
Hawaii were larger, more homogene-
Gus. and more thoroughly imbued with
American ideals and traditions, 1t
could still exert but little influence on
the Asiatics of the second generation.
The two nationalities, though living
side by side, are separated from one
another by every possible bar. They
differ in race, and their history and
traditions have nothing in common.
They differ widely in their experience
of political institutions. They differ
radically in their spiritual ideals and
their religious beliefs. They differ
wholly in their moral and social con-
ventions, in their philosophy of life.
and their habit of thought. They
therefore live apart, each maintaining
separate and distinct its conventions
and ideals.
The question of self-government to-
day is greatly complicated by the
diverse racial elements in Hawaii. |
The present government, although bas-
ed upon universal suffrage of the citi-
zen classes, is none the less a govern |
ment by a small minority of the total
population. Nominal popular govern
ment with'a large unfranchised major
ity is in itself an evil, the practical |
effects of which are clearly to be seen |
in Hawaii. Moreover. unless conditions
change decidedly within a few years. |
the native-born Asiatics undoubtedly !
could. if they wished, exercise consid-
cradle influence, If not complete con-
troll. over the government of the Ter
ritory.
While there is no reason to assume
that they would prove less intelligent
citizens than descendants of other |
races, they would necessarily be less
American than any other class of citi- |
zens, and more affiliated in race and |
sympathy with their nearest Asiatic |!
neighbor. There is no indication as
yet that they will amalgamate with |
the Caucasians. In religion as well as |
in race they will differ totally and per- |
manently from ourselves and retain |
their kinship with another country |
The contingency here suggested offers |
a serious problem to the citizens of |
and one in which the whole |
nation is interested. The industrial |
and the political problems of Hawaii |
are at present inseparable and inter-
woven, and on this account the labor
difficulties with which the planters,
and artisans of Hawaii are
wrestling-and their remedies for re-
a matter of concern for
the American people at large.