The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-13
ny FREDERIC 8. HAsl<IN.

| III 1ldWdll tIC IdOOI puGolbous 10 CNSA
present, ever paramount and never sct-
tied. One-fourth OF the total popula-
ton OF the territory Is made up Of
laborers actually employed in the cane
fields. or these. more than one hall
are Japanese and Chinese; in other
Sugar demands cheap labor. Hawaii
lives on sugar and unless 1t has a
permanent supply OF remarkably cheap
labor 1t faces ruin. Before annexation
to the United states the government
and the planters. sometimes acting
| ~, brought In laborers from various
parts OF the world under the contract
system. When the United States flag
permanently floated over the islands.
and American laws applied to Ha-
out the pale OF law.
The leading men OF Hawaii then
turned toward Europe as source OF
labor supply. 1t was thought the
south OF Europe would furnish hardy
laborers perfectly willing to work for
wages which the planters could az
ford. Being Christians and Europeans,
they would naturally be In sympathy
with American institutions and ideals,
and would bring forth second gem
Grafton OF real Americans. Under the
plan adopted by the States Of South
Carolina and Louisiana. the planters
y
and by the authority OF the Legisla-
ture. sent an agent to Europe. He
succeeded In obtaining two shiploads
! OF immigrants. one OF Portuguese and
ono OF Spanish. Then fell the blow
from the Federal government at Wash
lington in the form OF decision that
immigration stimulated In this fashion
was illegal, and must cease. After
ward came the restriction OF Japanese
immigration. Thus Hawaii found It
self In the position OF being prevent
ed by either private or public enter
prise from assisting immigration. 1t
! is too small and too out Of the way,
| to attract voluntary immigration. ard
its labor question Is most acute.
! Politics thrives on conditions. The
Southern States OF the Union. with
practically no exception. are suffering
from lack of labor supply. The millions
and millions of men and women VINO
| have come to American shores from
Europe in the past fifty years have all
found homes north OF the Mason and
Dixon line. or west OF the Mississippi.
| The Southern States were .stagnated
on account OF the devastation Of the
war when the great tide OF iTmigra-
ton began, and 1t is only within the
past seven OR eight years that the
South has begun to feel the need OF
new white blood The South is like
Hawaii In that 1t needs this immi-
North is clamoring for regulations
which will place further restriction
upon the influx OF immigration. the
South is crying for RELIEF from Ia
Dor famine.
South Carolina sought to solve the
problem by State-assisted immigration
Louisiana tried the same thing. but
powerful influences at Washington
were able to put stop to the plan. II
1t were not for the fact that the south
| ern States and some of the Paclfic
Coast States were thus suffering from
waHan situation would be quite hope
less. AS 1t Is. the Hawaiian leaders
are confident OF pooling interests IN
Congress. Although they have no vote
they will be able to secure some leg
islation which Will permit the terri
about artificial immigration from
Europe. Even the sugar planters sad.
lily accept the fact that the days OF
lOrIentslism are past.
The mere question OF getting labor
ers to come to laval is only nalf the
problem-getting them to stay here
has proved equally difficult.
The first laborers imported to Ha-
wall, when the native Hawaiian labor
CIR was found inadequate, were $50 en-
nese brought In in 1859. during the
reign of Kamehameha III. These IA
|
They were paid So a month in cash
wages and furnished with food, lodging
and clothes, which cost 81 per month
more. There was no economic difter-
ence between the system OF contract
labor, which had It's oexinniltS NJ
that day laborers haze bee: hrole NJ
to Hawaii from Manchuria. Korea
| China, Japan. the Islands of the South
Seas, from Norway, Germany. austria
Italy. Russia, Portugal. Spain, Madeira
and the Azores. while both whites and
negroes have been recruited In the
United States. Since 1859 the number
OF labor immigrants to Hawaii
| reached the enormous total OF lse,'
900, or $4,000 more than the total pop
ulation of the territory at this time
What has become OF them? Some have
died, OF course, but the immigrant c:nss
is usually sturdy and the records show
that the birth rate has been such az
to practically offset the deaths. SUI
there are $1,000 not accounted LOT
4 that one-half of the laborers brought
to the territory go away: :,
Over 10000 Japanese have come &C
Hawaii, but nearly half OF them mans
1 1t a stepping stone to go on TO Lne
United States. Before contract lapoi
ter. in the matter of steamship tat es:
an average OF $75 for Chinese, 30;
| for a Japanese. SIP for Portns"css
land $3.50 for a Norwegian. AS ths
Europeans always came IN large ram
Lies. and as the Japanese usually COM
singly, 1t was much cheaper to prlnt
Lin Japanese. After the days OF con
tract labor, when tho Japaheso cam
on their own accord, the steamer lar "a.
4 dropped as low as $40. In the tiv'
wears prior to 1888 the Hawali "a
monarchy expended over $l.ooo,ooo
and the planters almost as much move
In Importing laborers. Five shipmeht =
Of Portuguese cost per capita ssa;t6. Q
which the government paid $52,4l, ans
the planter $S7.04. AS there were q
many women and children. It cost To-
! each adult male laborer $a86,l5, II
4 ali, Hawaii has expended between ~ ~,
!, 400 900 and $10.o00,000 in paying 10
the transportation of laborers wnicl
Il has induced to come to Its shore
lone half Of these have left the Islands
and only about one-fifth OF them ar
now working In the fields.
The reasons for the migratory habit
!, OF these iaborers are many and com
Ipiex, but perhaps the principal on
lis that, with few exceptions, the mos
Of them can, without lneonvenlenoe
& pack their grips and move at an hour,
notice to any quarter Of the world