Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 215, 15 Iune 1891 — AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. [ARTICLE]

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

Since tbe reduction in the i>roiits! on our sugar industry, those who are engaged in the business areon!y now seriously studying retrench-. | ment. The necessity for doing so j jis imperative since the operation of j | the McKinlev tariff law. We believe, among other things. that the question of labor is one of the mqst| vītal that has to be studied by our sugar planters and others interested in the nrosperity of our main in;dustrv. The planters exDerience is ample to enahle him now to run a plantation successfull\ T . They are neariy all free of heavy debts, have less to pay in interests ar.d commissions, and the majority have the best machinery known for taking off their crops. Excepting for the change in the tariff on sugars iu tne L T nited Statee, our sugar planters and plantation owners were in a fair way to become wealthy. Xow the scene changes, the profits has §uddenly stopped. and we are all beginning to suffer in eonsequence. The questio:i arises, what is to be done ? Cheaper labor has l>een the ters cry inorder to avort finaf ruin. The p;overninent hns done all it is jauthorizcd to do bv law, and we j have no;v a larae l:;bor htimic. r r;i:ion j pouring into the eountrv. liut unj less this labor is properiy uj?ed. it | will not be <-f very 'nueh U'iiefit i exeept to a few. . Force<l and un- ] wiiling labor never ean be made iprofilable, to either map:er and jservant, nor to thc v f enera! gnod'Of ! th« eonntry. We are ol' the ;hat wliat seet:.s to be h;u\l t > our ' planting and eo;n)nerci;il in;< ,at prt\se tw;ilbe ; he verv !iu\ n * i of alx)Ut a curo. Itvis a hard s<?hool io to.; but in the end we hope it wi!! r< - 1 dound to our pm.ep, rity. ' — - ;■ ' r; -i