The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-02

the planters are also pursuing other
and constructive methods for keeping
workmen in the islands and 'preserv-
ing the system by whicn they thrive
they have made many improvements
in their methods of housing and treat
ing workmen in the camps. Former
ly, in contract-labor times, physical
violence was of common occurrence:
the Chinese were kicked and cuffed
about without much ceremony. But
with growing scarcity of labor and a
growing self-consciousness on the part
of labor, all this has passed away.
Labor must be treated wen. Espe-
cially since the Japanese strike of
two years ago-which thoroughly
frightened the planters-great prog
ress has been made. White labor,
especially, can not be attracted with
out being given better camp condi-
lions. Everywhere | went, therefore,
| found the planters building new
houses, putting in better water con-
nections, developing sewer systems,
extending the free medical service and
in many other ways making conditions
more livable for the workmen Often
the manager permits the working peo-
pie to use a bit of land around their
houses, and it is surprising to see, as
at Kahuku and Eva, with what skill
and beauty the japanese have develop
ed their little yards.
Skilled labor has not only had to
meet an increased living cost, but
wages have actually gone steadily
downward since 1902. The new re-
port of the Bureau of Labor shows that
the average pay of all skilled hands
on the plantations dropped from Sis
per day in 1902 TO S1.61 a day in 1905
and then fell to S1.53 a day in 1910.
In other words, skilled workers are
receiving on the average, twenty-five
cents a day less than they did eight
years ago-and that for men with
large families Gas most of these men
have) and steadily higher cost of liv-
ing, means a real hardship. Part of
this decrease is caused, OF course, by
the irresistible crowding into the skill
ed positions of low-paid, half-free Jap
anese and the gradual crowding out of
other sorts of workmen. For instance,
in 1902, over Is per cent of all skilled
labor on the plantations was Caucasian
mot including Portuguese) and over
80 per cent was japanese. But in 1910
the proportion or Caucasian had drop
ped below IA per cent and the pro-
portion of Japanese had gone above
81 per cent. And wages of skilled
white men have fallen more in pro-
portion than skilled Japanese, thus
tending to drive out white men. For
example, in 1902 the average income
of skilled white men mot Portuguese)
was $422 a day, while in 1910 it was
only 1885.
Thus while the planters are eX-
pending great sums of money in bring
ing in immigrants and using laws and
the legislature to force them to re-
main after they come, they are not
only keeping down the wages of all
the workers, but they are making the
opportunities for skilled workers
steadily less attractive. Under such
crowding down of wages, such steady
substitution of cheap, nalf-free labor
for high-grade citizen labor, how futile
seem the efforts and expenditures of
the territorial government to get in
more white citizens!
The effort of the planters at all
hazards to maintain the present feud-
alistic system not only leads to div
iding and dominating" the laborers,
but it finds further and perfectly log
ical expression in the hostility to the
proper education of the children of
the foreigners, Education brings peo-
pie together, gives them common
language and common motives and ii
llldhtb llltlll dllblllOuos 40 Ollt pltilll-
er expressed it to me: 1T spoils good
workmen: turns the young men away
from the plantations; disturbs poll
teal conditions" Save for some few
exceptional schools (of which ! shall
speak later found the public schools,
especially in the back country dis
tricts, nearly everywhere oyercrowd-
ed, the buildings often miserably dilap
idated, and not few of the teachers
inefficient and underpaid. In several
instances owing to lack of facilities
in public schools, | found rooms rent
ed from private Japanese schools, Al
though a compulsory education law
nominally exists, hundreds of children
in the islands are getting no oppor
tunity in the public schools.
Notwithstanding the enormous pro
fits of the sugar industry, the grow
ing wealth, and an almost passionate /
interest in charities and benevolences /.
on the part of many rich people, the