The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-27

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policy against the further acquisition
of European laborers, Portuguese par
ticularly, makes certain statements
which are and can not be satisfac'
torily received by the greater number,
if not by all, of the Portuguese Amer,
leans of this Territory. We regard 1t
as an insinuation for the Advertiser,
or any other journal, to refer to the
Portuguese as "Manuels and Diegos.
1t is true that among the masses one
will find large number whose names
begin with Emanuel, but this does
not infer that " Manuels are inferior
or more debased than are your John
MES or Charles. You will find more
Jones and Smiths in either England or
America than Manuels in the whole
world, and accordingly, less of them in
Hawaii than are your Tom, Dick and
Harry.
The Advertiser cannot deviate itself
from the fact that the immigrants in
trodueed to these Islands in the past
of Portuguese birth and nationality
have proven very desirable as a foun-
dation for a substantial American citi-
zenshi,,. with few exceptions. Those
of twenty-five, twenty, and even of ff-
teen years ago have taken prominent
and active part in the industrial, Geo.
nomical and political development Of
these Islands and have at all times
shown their loyalty and obedience to
ignition of the ideals OF the country
in which they live and have made it
their home, and their descendants, from
the moment of birth, have become use
full and desirable to the community as
citizens.
It is true that among the thousands
grated to these Islands at the solicita
ton of immigration agents, many have
proven undesirable, and no one regrets
this fact more than those of us who
cannot conceive any reason why low
class immigrants should be brought
here at large expense and labor.
| assume that the Portuguese immi.
grants, If they are OF the superior or
der who understand things through
their own mental powers, or of an in
termdiate order, who understand after
explanation had been made them, will
certainly be as desirable to this coun-
try as any settler that you may be
able to place upon Hawaiian soil from
any part of the world, or whether it
be from the northern or southern part
of Europe.
In the past the immigration author
tiles in Hawaii have failed to bear in
mind that in every great society, there
are necessarily three orders of men
a superior, an intermediate and a lower
order, because of the fact that it has
been the desire of the Planters Asso-
citation to populate these Islands with
people adapted only to the fields, the
pick and the shovel. Among the Port
uguese we find some of the lower or
der. That number, however, does not
degrade the intellectual and moral
standing of this community, cosmopoli-
tan as it is, but it would have been
more desirable to those of us of pro-
gressive instincts if they had remained
in the land from which they hailed.
But this fact is not prevalent only
among the Portuguese; it is the same
with every other nationality domiciled
in these Islands Undesirable as this
number may appear to the student of
politics, I venture to say that it does
not in any way affect the political
conditions, but does, on the other hand,
improve the laboring and industrial
forces which are, under existing cir
cumstances, required to carry on the
great enterprises undertaken by the
sagacious class of the superior order
of men which, at the present time,
are and can be accredited with the
distinction of being the undertakers of
the vast sugar enterprise and the ris-
ing diversified industries.
If the time has come when emigra-
ton should be regarded as the means
of augmenting, in a very short period,
the nucleus of our citizenship, and if
it is deemed desirable to bring set
tiers which will Immediately qualify
for such, then there is one question
for us to study. Upon what class of
immigration viii the political status of
TINS SuDmtb GhdG
it is essential for us to give considera-
ton to this question before attempting
to further bring laborers to these Is
lands. 1t is from the three classes /
have mentioned that immigrants should
be selected from to meet conditions.
And, in this connection, | am glad to
say that the Azores or the Continental
section of the Portuguese government
can furnish Hawaii with the class TO
meet the demands of labor, whose is
sues become the best of citizens-and
material to qualify to settle in Hawaii
as farmers and within three years
qualify for the best of citizens But
is Hawaii, under its existing land laws
and administration policies ready to
accept a large number of prospective
citizens and farmers without their re.
sorting to the fields of the vast plan.
tations? | maintain that at present
Hawaii is not in such a position, no
matter how much we preach in this
direction, and between now and the
time that This TaTr5foru 10