The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-09-21

pie or give them paid lease for home
steads consisting of small parcel of
| land of one acre and house"
saw numbers of these immigrants
| at work on the plantations, but time
enough has not elapsed to tell whether
they will remain or become dissatis-
| fed and go to the mainland. The
| Spanish government soon took action
over the wholesale departure of it's
working class, and Mr.. Stackable was
compelled to seek other fields; so he
hied himself to Madeira, and soon
thereafter. by reason of the glowing
| account of Hawaii's labor prospects,
there was such a rush of Portuguese
to the new land that several men es-
capped from jail and slowed away on
the Kumeric. Mr.. Stackable returned
from his trip by way of New York,
and was a passenger on the same boat
with me from San Francisco to Homo
lulu. He was not particularly COM
munfcative on the subject, and his ret
icence only made it more interesting;
and SO, when the Kumerie landed with
nearly 1900 Portuguese, although she
did have few cases of smallpox
on board, I determined to see what
Ol p0OpIc were worth SlGZ,UUU
to the patriotic residents of the islands
for it cost almost this amount to
charter the two big steamers and pro-
vide for the comfort of the passengers
en- route. Physicians, nurses, and in
terpreters were on board, indicating
that the health of the immigrants was
matter of earnest solicitude. Attor-
ney-General Bonaparte's decision re-
garding the unlawfulness of the
States assisting in immigration ex-
cept by advertisement gave the ter
ritorial board some concern, and sew
eral pertinent cablegrams passed be-
tween Honolulu and Washington. AS
no contracts had been made, and it
was the earnest desire of the citizens
to people the islands with others than
Orientals, both shiploads were landed,
subject to the usual restrictions.
The question of immigration must be
solved, for in accepting the Hawaiian
Islands the United States assumed the
obligation of taking care of them, and
national pride will comel us to work
out the problems there in accordance
with our traditions and principles of
government. The American flag waves
over Hawaii, and will remain there.
The sugar industry is there; it can be
made profitable only under favorable
labor conditions, and it must be taken
for granted that the United States de-
sires to have it's production increased
rather than diminished. The Chinese
exclusion act robbed the cane-fields of |
their best and most peaceful workers; |
the native labor is no longer sufficient |
and as the prices and character Of
work will not attract men from the |
mainland, there liz no alternative but |
immigration from foreign countries |
This condition must be met by the ma [
tional government, with the graver
problem in prospect arising from the |
increasing number of people of a diff |
ferent civilization, from the dangers
of race wars, and the threatened over
throw of the men and methods con-
trolling existing conditions. Tt is the
little brown man" of the Orient /
whose head is rising above the horizon
of Uncle Sans dominion and causing
alarm in Hawaii. Is this alarm justi-
fed? MRS. C. r. MILLER.