The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-13
Labor Conditions in Hawaii

viii make the HE OF the agricultural
laborcr in the islands SO attractive and
SO hOmelike that he Will be content
to stay and raise his family on the
plantation, titus building UP perma-
nent home labor supply. Mr.. Lorrin a.
Thurston, In discussing this question,
said:
THE remedy will be found in domi-
telling the employee BY domicilng him
mean giving or selling him, at
price within his reach. a piece OF land
on which he can create home; on
which he can raise fruit and vegetables
for his own use. maintain IL few do
nestle fowls and animals. and in con-
around him few luxuries and conveh-
fences such es are not and cannot
be accumulated and protected in a
plantation camp He should have a
home to which he can retreat and be
his own master: a place where he can
live and where his, family can live
without being subject to the POSSIBLE
ity OF dispossession without a days
notice; place where he can feel that
he is an individual and not a COM
he, can be an independent man, instead
OF dependent hireling. subject alb
Isolutely to the orders of another.
1T may be claimed that this home
instinct does not exist among the class
of people who constitute our planta-
ton laborers. This is undoubtedly true
of some OF them. The unmarried CHI
nese laborer seems to prefer TO work
and live in crowd. and. with e&cep-
tions, does not do otherwise when he
becomes his own master. There are
Undoubtedly many others OF various
Municipalities who have become habit
Ituated by long usage to contentment
with present conditions. But even
among these more room is appreciated
This is evidenced by the fact that II
III "a nd Nix -.
tatton camp designed for 200. 1t will
be a matter of only a few days be-
fore the remaining 100 WILL II per-
mittcd, spread themselves out over the
entire camp TO secure more room and
privacy.
But there are thousands OF other
cases in which. to a greater or less
degree. the home instinct and all the
incidental desires and feelings con-
nected Herewith are possessed BY
pletely as BIZ members OF the conmu.
| nifty who stand higher In the social
scale. Take the Portuguese for cx-
ample. There is not, to my knowl.
edge. Portuguese tenement house ir
the territory. They have hundreds of
| little individual homes. costing from
$500 10 $1,000 each. which they nav.
built with their own money. Wherever
on the plantations. there are detached
houses with ground around them. the
I
them.
There has been. perhaps. more OPP
/ portunity for development and eShihI-
ton OF these tendencies among the
Portuguese and Germans. because the
migration OF those two nationalities
to Hawai-! has consisted exclusively Of
families. instead OF an overwhelming
proportion OF male adults Moreover,
| these nationalities have no intention
OF returning to their old homes. They
In &,.t, l.
selves and will never have any homes
except those which they make anew
| for themselves. They also belong to
races which for generations have been
migrating all over the world. Emf
grafton and permanent settlement,
| abroad Is therefore common thought
| to them.
THE Hawaiian territory is not the
| only place where the labor question
i has been vital issue. Cuba was in
was finally abolished. The plantation
system had f!ourished there for gem
erations. When the slaves were set
free they would not work for small
wages. and We're too uncertain and
lazy to earn high ones. They showed II
IRRESPONSIBLE vagrants. Destruction
stared the planters in the face. They
had to act quickly or go under They
acted both quickly and successfully.
tIHey cut up tNelT vast estates lnto
| lots OF from ten to fifty acres. and
sold or leased them at nominal rem
ltals to their former slaves, making
contracts with them to buy the cane
| produced. This was the genesis of
the so-called colonial system." which
has been successfully continued in
| operation in Cuba ever since. 1t is the
basis OF the contract recently made by
| Colonel Spalding with the Molokans
| here In Hawaii.
II believe that the suggestions made
above. or some Of them, or others along
the same general lines, will eventual
ily be adopted. The same masterful
spirit which has made Hawaii what 1t
lis will meet and solve the problem.
Dangerous conditions have heen met
and conquered in the past and the SUI
gar industry OF the Islands established
on broader and firmer basis than
ever. 1t will continue to expand and
be source OF profit for generations
yet to come. While 1t will take ener-
gy. breadth of spirit and progressive
intelligence to solve the labor prob.
lem. the way will be found. Sugar Will
| long continue to he King OF Hawaii
/ Copyright, 1908, by Frederic j..
| Haskin.)
o-morrow-Cosmopo Honolulu