The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-05-16

| instances, so far as observed, with
out discount. Repeatedly while the
agent gathering material for this re-
port was working over plantation
books laborers called for their pay,
in order to go to other parts of the
islands or to their home country.
Such payments, except for the de-
lays incident to checking up their
time and referring to overseers or
timekeepers for data regarding their
work and overtime, if any, WE'RE
never deferred. Unpaid debts OF la
borers, not covered by wages due
them, are frequent source of loss
to plantation stores. Neither the
laws of the Territory nor extra legal
customs permit the coercion of la
borers for debt or to enforce labor.
agreement, and nothing resembling
peonage exists in Hawaii.
Room for Improvement.
Nevertheless, room stills remains
for improvement in plantation labor
conditions-a remark that applies
equally to mainland occupations.
While five years have seen a better
ment Of plantation housing and camp
sanitation, and in many places within
another half decade every married
couple will occupy a detached cottage
and garden, yet the substitution 0f
new residences and the introduction
of improved sanitation take time, and
occasion expense that in any busi-
ness enterprise will be distributed
over several years. 1t appears to be
the rule that bad housing, poor san
itation, and overcrowding are more
common in privately owned tene-
ments outside the plantation limits
than upon the plantations them
selves. The rate of wages obviously
does not permit plantation laborers
to adopt the standard of living en-
joyed by white laborers in the
United States; nor can wages be
raised Immediately to such a rate.
We have no reliable way Of knowing
whether, taking into account cost Of
living as well as actual wages, the
economic condition of Hawaiian
workers is improving faster or slower
than the condition of workers upon
the Pacific coast. But there is no inn
mediate prospect that conditions in
these two places will be equalized.
The differences Of industries, tradi-
tions and race are too great. r st.
High Wages Here.
However, comparison of HawE-
iian conditions with those of Caliifor-
mia is hardly fair one. More prop
erly Hawaii should be compared with
other tropical and insular countries.
having similar industries. Yet this
must be conditioned bv
important distinctions. Without at
tempting either to confirm or deny a
casual relation between the two facts.
there is no cane-producing country in
the world. outside the American tariff
area, where sugar is so highly pro-
tected as in Hawaii. There is
no cane-producing country, except
Queensland, where the rate of wages
is so high for common field labor as
in Hawaii The condition of labor.
in Hawaii is better than in Madeira
and the Azores-white labor couu-
tries-for the Territory is now draw
ing main supply of immigrants
from those islands. Wages are high
er than in Porto Rico or Cuba, and
the material environment of labor IS
better than in most parts of the
West Indies.
Favorable Conditions.
Furthermore, the autonomy of in
dustry, which reflects itself directly
in the general welfare of workers. is
greater in Hawaii than in
any other tropical country. Hawaii
Is not and never has been a colony.
It's industries were built up when it
was self-governing kingdom, almost
with its own capital, and in
stead of borrowing abroad Hawaii is
now supplying money to develop
plantations in the Philippines, For
nosa and the West Indies, and oil
helds and mines in California and
other Western states, and its capital
sts are heavy investors in manufac-
.uring and business enterprises, and
owners of business property all along
ne Pacific coast. Consequently most
II the plantations are home owned.
Less than 10 per cent of the sugar
property in the Territory is subject
n any material degree to absentee
'apital' Men who have become rich
n Hawaii sometimes later in life