Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-10

hC IOiiOH llI6 IL q copy vi buC oNotC
nent filed by the Hawaiian Planters
with the committee on ways and
means at the tariff hearing on the 18th
instant:
Washington, D. c., January, 1913.
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen: On behalf of the Ha-
Waiian Sugar Planters Association
comprising practically all the planta,
lions in Hawaii, | desire to submit
the following statement relative to
the present tariff on raw sugar and
the effect upon Hawaii of any mater
ial reduction therein. | also beg leave
10 file, for the information of the COM
mittee, a more general brief on the
subject of the sugar tariff based Who'll.
ly upon extensive hearings held in
1911 and 1912 by the special investi.
eating committee of the house Of re-
representatives., usually referred TO as
the Hardwick committee.
Hawaii came to the United States
neither by conquest nor purchase. In
1898 the then republic voluntarily ced-
ed it's sovereignty to the United States
"
tory. Hawaii obtained no tariff con-
Cession for it's sugar by annexation, as
its sugar had been admitted free by
treaty since 1876, in exchange for the
right to use Pearl Harbor as a naval
base.
Prior to annexation Hawaii had an
abundance Of cheap labor from China
and Japan. Following annexation its
supply Of oriental labor was cut off,
first by the abolition of contract labor
and the application of the federal Chi.
nese Exclusion Act and later by the
arrangement between the United
States and Japan which prohibited
Japanese immigration. Since the lat
ter date, there has been a steady de-
crease in the number of Asi&tic la
borers employed
For Caucasian Population.
At the same time the permanence
of political status assured by annexa-
ton and the expressed desire of sue
cessiye administrations for the deYet
opnent of the Territory along tradi-
tional American lines has led to "a
continuous effort, against adverse con-
ditions, to supplant the decreasing ASH
attic laborers with Caucasian popula.
ton. Under the law. the Hawaiian
Sugar Planters Association is forbid.
den to assist in this movement, either
directly or Indirectly. The Territory
OF Hawaii, however, with funds raised
by public taxation, by means of a spe
cial income tax, is making every, eff
nf OF - E1irnn0nn
laborers of selected agricultural fam
lilies. s As the same. time splendid
public-school system, backed by law
providing compulsory education in
English, is making first-class citizens
of the second generation of these inn
migrants. With the opening of the
Panama canal it is. hoped that this
work will be greatly facilitated.
The attitude of the Hawaiian Sugar
Planters. Association towards this
movement can best be summarized by
the following quotation from recent
report made by the bureau Of labor
under the act of congress requiring
that the labor conditions of Hawaii
shall. be investigated and reported up
On every five years: -. ,...-. j.. -. -,
Meantime a bona fide effort is be-.
ing. made by the. territorial govern
ment, backed by the large employing
interests, to settle a larger proper
ton of Caucasian workers and set:
tiers in Hawaii 1t is doubtful IL any
large industry upon the mainland has
in the past been willing to disregard
the economic demand for, cheap labor,
in consideration of what are at least
partly civic motives in securing more
costly labor, to the same extent as
have the Hawaiian planters. They
are willing without reserve, to employ
all the Caucasian workers the govern
ment can bring to the islands, at a
wage one-third larger than they pay
for nearly as efficient labor brought
from Asia. ''-(Department of Com
merce and Labor-bulletin of the Blu
reau of Labor, No. "a, May, 1911, page
1857. 49,
Efforts at AUGMENTATION.
The effect of these endeayors to
Americani2e the Hawaiian Islands has
been a steady increase in the rate of
wages and in the cost. of producing
sugar. At the time of annexation the
minimum wage of unskilled field
hands was $3.50 a month. By 1911
this figure had advanced to SIS a
month for Asiatic field hands and $24
month for Caucasian field hands.
On January l, 1912, the present scale
was adopted. with a profit-sharing
bonus, depending on the price of
sugar. The minimum wage is $40 for
Asiatics and $25 for Caucasians, in
addition to which the laborer receives
at the end of the year l per cent ad
ditionaI for every dollar of the aver
age price of raw sugar over $40
short ton (3.5 cents pound) Thus,
price of cents a pound, or $50
short ton, would net each labOrer an
additional 10 per cent of his wages.
The actual distribution for the first
year of this system was u per cent,
or more than six weeks extra pay.
In addition to the money wage,
every laborer receives free house
rent, free water and fuel and free
medical attendance. Of special i'm
portance, however, is the fact that
The laborer is given a house and
steady employment the year around.