The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-05-19

Gulick one Of the pioneer missionaries
whose lie work covered a period of
81 years.
Early in its history the native
church in Hawaii began to send the
gospel to other groups OF the island
world, so that for so years they have
maintained their representatives in
Micronesia,
The ruling and influential class in
Hawaii is OF course American and it
will remain so, While the population
OF the entire group is only about
10000 it is composed OF five distinct
elements The American European
element numbers about $4,000 and it
has practically had the management
OF the islands in its hands for many
years.
Largest in number is the native
Hawaiian element estimated at $4,000
and apparently diminishing, The Jap
anese number $4,000. Chinese $4,000
and Portuguese o000
In the beginning OF Asiatic immi'
grafton into the islands, laborers were
imported by the sugar growers under
three-year labor contracts. Prior to
1892 the Chinaman whose term OF EN-
ployment had expired, might con
tinue to work on the planation as 4
free laborcr, he might leave to seek
other employment, or he might re-
turn to China. The greater portion
chose the first course, many accepted
their freedom and sought other EN-.
ployment, and few struck ont for
themselves as growers of rice, vcge
tables, taro, etc. But since 1892 they
have to choose between deportation
and new term OF contract. Many OF
the wealthy Chinese merchants now
in the islands came as contracted
laborers They rarely buy a piece
of ground, always giving preference
to the lease system, probably owing
to a dread of the tax gatherer.
Much of the land cultivated by the
Chinese is owned by the native
Hawaiians, who prefer to live with
out labor. Often Chinaman leases
ground owned by Hawaiian woman
and finally marries her to save the
lease money.
The Japanese are much superior as
a race to the Chinese. They possess
the same industrious and frugal hab'
its, but are more conscientious in the
performance of their contracts, clean
er and more intelligent There is an
irrepressible conflict between the two
races. The Japanese were not
brought to the islands in large num-
bers until within the last few years.
Now they make up the greater por-
tion OF contract laborers on the sugar
plantations. There are a considera.
BILE number of Chinese employed, but
the majority are free laborers. Each
is housed separately. Just
as the independent Chinaman has
made the swamps and lowlands
fruitful, so the free Japanese has
changed the mountain sides into
wealth producing coffee and sugar
lands. So too, in the same way that
the Chinese have taken over the |
natives taro lands and the making OF |
their poe, the Japanese have monop-
olized the sea fishing.
Domestic labor has been performed |
by Cinnamon, who make ideal SER
wants, but during the past few years |
this field has been invaded by the |
Japanese, the women being especi-
ally in demand as nurses for child
zen.
This stream OF life flowing between
Hawaii and Asia opens a wonderful |
to the Christian Church |
10 influence the life and thought Of
.hese distant nations Of the Orient.
May the opportunity not be neg
ected which lies open before us.