Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 34, 9 February 1894 Edition 02 — SOLUTION NEEDED. [ARTICLE]

SOLUTION NEEDED.

The Problem of the ‘ Unemployed.” Tliore ean be no donbt tbat the citv at prcsent ift overrnn by w hite rrt-n v\ho ean find no woik ri:d vtho see want and starvation . staring thera in the face. The Gerraan i>oiitical associ«tion has considered tbe matter and has reqaesU-d the g>vernment to tnto al>ate the evil. With onr mominp contemi>oraiy we do md be!ieve that the government ean do anything at present and th«t it is rather tho plaee of pri v. l«bor-einployers to eome to j the rescuo. Tl:ere are of course j tiraes when it is the duty of governracnt to create work for tbe u emploved say, in eases where a financiftl crisis deprives meu of j their work «n<l inake it irapossible for the labor-employing elaaw to c«rry on basiness from where the bread-earners derive tbeir support. Uut the provisional government is nnder sucb strained circnmstance8 and such i enonnoue expen«es th«t it caunot undertake nuy pohlie workofany aeeounl aral thereby relieve the workingmen. lt therefore becoraes the iramediate duty of the copitalifia to eome forward and j give woik to the unfortunate who j nre stranded on ourbeaeh without means. We must ndrait that we nre somewbat suprised to see p!anters eoina togelher in meeting. and lnudly eomplain because they have not sufficieut laborers and at tho samo tirne hear n general cry from the streets “give us work.” The plantera have attempted to flood tl e countrv wiili Chinose cool»es a step whieh will make it still more difficnlt for tlie onemployed whites to fiud work. A proposition has been raado to re-import tho Portuguese who left our shores and now find theiu8elves still worse off in California. Why t <ke sueh « step when Iabor is to bo foural right here und mostly of men unencurabered with large families, and for whom nn p«ssnge rooney is wanted? We expect now to see advertisements fiOm tho p1autation apeuts offer ing work for the uneraployed and botb the planters and the workmen wiil find relief. If the amiexationists could be believed a golden era would bave been oj>ened f>r Hawaii with auoexat*on becauso/Vre vhile labor would be plentiful. Now you h«ve got it gentleiuen and to our surprise yon don’t avnil yourselves of it, but eall for more unfree Chine»e luborers. Arise and explain this reni«rkable inconsistency! It 1 will be said that many of the une:uployed whites are uuwiilinp to w. on pianUtions. Perliajvs so, bvit they bave uo ehoiee. lf auy of them prefer to loaf around onr streets uutil want drives tbom te be criminal they sbould be met with the law and treated «s vagrauts. For that pnrpose the government shou!d withont delay amend the vagrancy act so as to make it effective aud then it shoald make repistration of all citizeus compuisory. By tbe way, we are pieased to soe th*t the Advertiser h«s coroe round to our i&ay of tbinking in regard to registration. If such measures are adopted the gcvernment will be able to have fuil saperrision. aud full control of the unemployed and it wili havo great facility in furoisbing work to those who reaily desire it—and a striped suit for those who don’t But whatever is to be done ahould be done speedily or a criminal class will be created whieh it will be impoeaihle to v get rid of and whioh will be a standing menaoe ta law and