Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 213, 11 June 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

"E Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono."

 

KA LEO.

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THURSDAY JUNE 11, 1891.

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NOTICE.

 

            Copies of the KA LEO O KA LAHUI can be found every morning at both the News Agencies in town.  Price 5 cents a copy.

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A TEMPORARY ESTRANGEMENT.

 

            We regret that there was a temporary misunderstanding between His Excellency H.A. Widemann and KA LEO.  We now take pleasure in confessing that we were mistaken in Mr. Widemann and the fault of a two hasty judgement was all our own.  We feel that we have made some slighting and even contemptuos remarks that mau have deeply wounded the feeling of our friends, for such we can now call him again in spite of past unpleasantness, and which we now give all the world to wipe from the pages of KA LEO.  But printe's ink, like the wages of sin, cannot be wiped out.  All we can do is to say that we are sorry and never again will we sling a slur or cast a base insinuation at the venerable head of one of the best and truest of men.

            Ever since Mr. Widemann became a Hawaiian by marriage he has never concealed the fact that he is a true friend of the native.  In 1890 he stood in with Bush Wilcox crowd and was elected a noble for the term of six years.  In the Legislature he exceeded the most sanguine expectations.  He spoke with fiery eloquence on the great question of turning the rascals out.  The pictures is still vivid in our mind's eye of the honorable gentleman leaning forward and banging his desk as he hoarsly demanded of the recreant Commins' Cabinet why they sat ghere doing nothing, why didn't they fulfill their pledges to the party, &c.

            When our friend was appointed we felt confident that we would no longer cherish the reform vipers in our political bosom, to use a figure of rhetoric.  But alas, no sooner was he in the ministry that like his prodecessors he was petrified by the Gorgon's head of influence.

            We will pause here to explain to the reader that we are well up in Latin and Greek and ancient mythology.  Medusa was a lady witha very striking personal appearance.  It is well known in country districts that horse-hairs will turn into worms if left in rain-water in the sun for a sufficient time.  Medusa and her sisters use to go trolloping up and down a certain creek in their neighborhood gathering clams and bathing in the stagnant pools along the stream.  Then they would lie down i the sunshine ina state of nature and go to sleep.  One day on awaking they were surprised and annoyed to find their scalps very tender to the touch and each hair somewhat enlarged.

            This process went on to their growing consternation and disgust till each hair was as big as a lead pencil with a well developed head including a pair of wicked looking eyes and forked tongue and a pair of patient perforated, retractible, poison glands.  Some of the snakes outgrew their fellows and became as big as canes and would twine themselves lovingly around their mistress' neck.  The effect on the whole was rather bizzare and uncanny.  The young ladies were very much distressed until the idea occurred to them to open a dime museum.  It might have been a great success, but for one thing; when the granger came in expecting to see a Caucasian lady and the two-headed calf and suddenly confronted Medusa with her remarkable head of hair, he was paralized, a stony stare came over his face, and the petrifying influence spread to his legs and he never moved again.  He was turned into stone representation of the jum-jams.  This rendered the show unpopular.

            Perseus was an amateur photographer of the instantaneous kind who delighted in making pictures of me and animals representing them paralized in the act.  He heard of Medusa and his fertile brain conceived the idea of constructing a new and improved camera, not to produce pictures, but statuary.  He succeded in cutting of the ladies head by the aid of a pair of goggles and a little bug-juice to steady his nerves.  He arranged it in box fitted with an instantaneous shtter and a syringe action, and was ready for business.  He would carefully pose a group of his friends in various artistic attitudes and bid them gaze steadily at the button and wink if they wished.  Then he would spring the infernal machine on them and metamorphose the lot in the twinkling of an eye into plaster of Paris.  In this way he made in short time a large collection of life like statuary.

            So in Hawaii the bravest talkers of the party as soon as they reach the ministry are paralized and forever silenced by a glimpse of the Medusa-head of "influence" with her tangled serpent-hair of "pull."

            We felt bad to see men of our own party and of our own making, as it were, serving the enemy like a hireling and sending public work to the Advertiser, the mouth-piece of the "reform."  We could not reffrain from making some exclamations.

            But we were mistaken, Mr. Widemann is recovering from the influence of the baneful eye.  He sent a "By Authority" advertisement to KA LEO.  How he had the nerve to do it, we can't imagine.  Don't he know that he will get the whole "reform" down on him.  Mr. Widemann don't spoil all your fair young prospects and stainless reputation by patronizing the Bush-Wilcox crowd.  It will do about election time, but as a minister it will hurt you.  We beseech you don't hurt yourself on our account.  We are satisfied now, that you mean well.  So don't ruin yourself by getting the Advertiser crowd down on you.

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PLANTOCRACY REFORM.

 

            Mr. Editor:  -The one absorbing topic amongst the Planting Community since the New Tariff Bill on Sugar came into operation has been -"how to reduce our working expenses" so as to meet the depression in the market.  This problem has been solved by some, by the proposition of introducing a cheaper class of labor, such as East Indians; by others, in reducing the staff and supplimenting their places by less profficient men at considerably less wages; and by others in curtailing the Commissariat of their contract Japanese.  Doubtless, if the idea of contract coolie labor can be practicable, it would mean a considerable saving in the pockets of the planters, as at present the rate of agreement for Japanese is $15 per month, whilst it has been claimed by parties who have had considerable experience in countries where coolie labor has been introduced, that they can be employed at the minimum rate of $.24 per day per man.  How the working expense can be reduced, and any saving made thereby, by the "reduction of the staff and supplimenting their places by less proficient men!"  Is really a problem which would tax the consideration of any sane and practical planter, particullarly, if he should happen to have some vital interest in the Plantation it can only be termed "financial suicide" and a system which must work with disastrous results to the parties who are thus blindly going in for such visionary reform.  The questions of the reduction of a few hundred dollars in the salaries of a plantation staff is a mere "bagatelle" when compared with the loss by the greater cost of labor in inexperienced hands.  who are unable to handle their name, so as to enhance a speedy and good operation at a minimum cost; and even should the salaries of those at present employed be reduced, can it be reasonably expected that those same men will have the same lively interest of the plantaion at heart, and will not the result e, that, altho' the work is apparently going on at the same rate, yet indirectly, there is a loss, of not hundreds, but thousands of dollars during the cause of each operation, which cannot well be explained until it is too late.  Would it not be much more advisable to make no radical changes whatever, but by dint of good management endeavor to get more and better work from their tried and experienced hands?  The next mode of reform is by "curtailing the commissariat of the contract Japs."  The working of this plan has already vividly shown its disastrous effects.

            Advices from Kealia, Kauai, last week announce that for one day all the contract labor had struck woek, why?  because, the usual habit of having a couple of men from each gang told off to go for dinner, besides various minor details with regard to rations had been denied; the men are all expected to be at work at 6 a.m. dailu; and as most of them have to start from their locations at break of day and walked many weary miles to reach the seat of their operations, is it then to be surprised at when they strike?  indeed with the loss of only one days labor, which is in itself a great deal, the plantation may be considered as having got out of the difficulty well.  Many complaints about the gross mismanagement and irregularities in handling the Japanese labor have been afloat, and certainly, when the absentee or local proprietors begin to feel the finanacial effect of such blundering, they will give their employmers a lesson to learn at their cost, that it is not policy "to spike the spigot and open at the bung."

            The Japanese may be considered as the backbone of agricultural labor on these islands, and as such, particularly in the absence of any other labor, ought to be dealt with kindly and leniently, and at the same time endeavor to get the utmost possible amount of good work out of them; ill usage, and sharp-practice which is nothing short of bad management, if even with illetcrat men like Japs. cannot be worked without fatal result.

            Following the old but yet true maxim - "Experientia sapientiam docet;" the proprietors will soon feel by the weight of their coffers what is the best and cheapest means of reform, in order to make their current expenses meet on a par with the market prices of sugar, which can only be donw by a recourse to a cheaper class of labor than Japs, or by using to the best possible advantage the labor at present in operation, but, certainly not by such systems as have already been explained, which they have not already must invariably reap fatal and disastrous results.

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THE CHILIAN CRUISER.

 

            The Chilian Cruiser Itata seem to have evaded the U.S.S. war vesvels sent to chase and capture her.  A canard appears in circulation, that she would be found on her way to Honolulu.  This bit of information was perhaps intended to mislead Captain Remy of the Charleston.

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OBITUARY.

 

            After a lingering illness Mrs. Maikai passed away from this life at her ancestors seat in Kona, Hawaii.  The deceased was the widow of General J.F.B. Maikai, during the reigh of Kamehameha III., and one of the few Hawaiians who was eminent and equally gifted in law as Mr. Kauahi.  The lady was closely related to the Queen Dowager.

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Death of Owen J. Holt.

 

            At about 10:30a.m. on Wednesday Mr. Holt died of heart trouble.  The deceased was the youngest son of Mr. Holt of the former firm of Robinson & Holt, doing business as Ship Builders in the early part of the 40's.  Since the demise of his father he has been living at the Helemano Ranch, and part of the time in Honolulu, with his mother, who was buried only a few days ago.  The deceased was a cousin of Govenor J.O. Dominis.  He leaves a wife and a large number of children and grand children and two elder brothers James and John who survive him.  He was one of the best me of his countrymen.  He lead a sedate, unobtrusive and industrious life, and was well like and respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.  We had the pleasure of passing our school days together with the deceased, at the old Mililani School,  under one of the kindest of teachers the late G.B.C. Ingraham, where now stands a portion of the present Government Building.  We sympathise and condole with the widow and family of the deceased.

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            That Mr. J. CUmmins' stable will take nearly all the prizes this day at the races.  For horse flesh John can beat Sam, but when it comes to the royal game of "baccarat" Sam is apt to win.

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A PROSCRIBED RACE.

 

            The persecution of the Jews in Russia, still continues with unabated rigor and cruelty.  There are six millions of Jews in Russia, and wherever they can many are endeavoring to gain admittance in the Greek church to same expulsion.  It seems as if the self-imposed curse made by this race, before the Roman govenor A.D. 31, is to follow them wherever they are gathered together in any considerable numbers.  The way of the transgressor is hard!

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ON DIT.

 

            That last Friday six or seven hundred Japanese refused work on the Kealia Plantation.  The cause of the refusal was due to the discharge of the cooks, that the laborers had always had provided for them.  Cheap labor after all, is dear labor to the best welfare of the country.

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            That Mr. Geo. W.R. King is the builder of that "pet breakwater" at Lahaina, and that as a fact the work done has proved an immense success:  the break in the reef, and the breakwater just built caused a current to set northward, carrying away with it the sand loosened by the action of the sea.  So strong is the current, that Mr. King believes it will make a regular channel, that will deepen in the course of one of these scientific decades of a million years so as to admit the largest steamer built now or hereafter.

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            That the Advertiser is squirming like a cur in poetry, because our "florid impotence" is getting too potential for its weak stomach, and that our "puns" are too pungent, and our tales has a moral that lacerates its sugar coated conscience.

 

            That dear old granny, the Advertiser gives us a sound rating in yesterday's issue.  It shows a @ spiteful vigor in invective that makes us suspect a different hand than the shaky one that usually makes up mosaic editorials from foreign papers.  However we are not at al offended; we do not think the Advertiser has gotten even yet.  When we think it has we will keep a little in advance by some reference to ranny.  We shall hereafter write ranny with a big G.

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Ka Buke Akeakamai A O

KE KI GULA

NO KEKAHI MAU MEA HUNA PO HIHIHI LHULIIA E KA NOE AU O KE KANAKA.

 

KAKAU mua ia a ka Mea Hauoh@

            DAVID KALAKAUA a me kekahi poe e ae he nui, a i Hoouluia, Hooponoponoia, a Hoomahuahua hou ia e Levi-i Levi ole ia ka Akeakkamai Hawaii o ke Keneturia 19.

Mahele o ka Buke.

MAHELE 1.

ZODIALOGIA - Hoike Ouli ma na kaulana Mahina.

MAHELE II.

NAEVIALOGIA -Hoike Ouli no ka Ila o ke kanaka.

MAHELE III.

METRAGARATIMA -Ka hoike Ouli ma ka Hoonohonoho Huahelu ma ka Helu Kabala.

MAHELE IV.

ONEIROLOGI.

MAHELE V.

Ka Papa Konane Hoailona Pomaikai.

MAHELE VI.

Ka Arimatika Kamahao.

J.M. POEPOE.