The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-04-25
THE RUSSIAN SIDE

Ou any question JnaJ ne may not be q
little wrong, or so far wrong that he
may not be partly right. Therefore,
the Russians may, after all. have
to say in their own behalf.
Indeed they think they have a good
deal to say, and very much to the
point, as do also those that can speak
their language and sympathize with
them. In the first place they claim
that the government has never re-
compensed them for their baggage
and other articles of value lost 1r
stolen from the government ware
house, nor for that which was des-
troyed by fumigation.
They also say that, whatever may
be said to the contrary, they were de-
ceived as to the cost of foodsstuffs. |
For instance. they we're told, so they
say; that food would cost about the
same here that it does in Manchuria.
tut that so far from this being the
case a chicken that can be bought for,
fifteen cents there will cost a dollar,
or more here.
They also say that the true value
of the money of the two nations was
not specifically explained to them.
But what is of far more Importance
they claim that the concessions that
the planters claim to have made are
not being carried OUT by all of the
planters and that they have been de-
neived again and again and have no
faith whatever in the word of the
planters.
Now l do not know if there is any,
truth in this statement, but, if there
is, it is certainly very reprehensible
and short-sighted policy and one that
can not be sufficiently condemned. |
They admit, however, that there is
one plantation where these promises
are being carried out. and that is the
Eva plantation, and possibly some OF
the other plantations on this island |
But they seem to have but little faith
in the promises of the planters of the
other islands. Indeed they seem to
think that these other islands are so
far away that the planters there are a.
law unto themselves and care but lit
tie what rules are made by the plan
ters here.
There also seems to be an obstin-
acy about them that causes them to
stand out for a principle, or what they
consider a principle, to the bitter end
whatever the privations or suffering
may be. And many of them say that,
having been deceived by the planters
once, they will never give them the
chance to deceive them again
But it is to be hoped that the ma
jority have more sense and will not
see the necessity of cutting off their
nose to spite their face. For l would
like to say as l have said before that
it's my opinion that a laborer who is
not afraid OF work. vii. do as well
here, if not better than In any part of
the world.
Before closing should like to say a
word about the system adopted at the
Eva Plantation and which from all
accounts Is almost ideal and were
this system adopted by all the other
planters, one would think, it would
forever put stop to strikes and labor
troubles of all kinds. Here the work
is largely let out by contract and this
method gives a man who is not afraid
of work chance to earn far more
wages than the day laborer. Indeed
have heard of some of these men,
with the aid of their families, earning
Il will not say how much, but VIII
venture to assert ~ was far more
than any farm laborer ever eceived
anywhere in the world. And besides
this each married man has a house
to himself and large plot of land,
and this land is of sufficient size TO
grow all the vegetables he needs Tor
himself and family, and often leaving
some to sell. Here too the foodstuTfs,
clothes etc, are really sold at cost
price to everyone on the plantation,
only leaving just sufficient to pay the
expense of running the store. 4
Just to show what has been done
On this plantation will say that It Is
known that plenty of the laborers
there have saved $500 in three years
time, and l know of other plantations
where men have done better than
this. Where, I would like to ask, have
farm laborers in Europe ever done
this even in a life time?
GEO. OSBORNE.