Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 150, 16 March 1891 — RIVETING THE CHAINS. [ARTICLE]

RIVETING THE CHAINS.

The Bupreme Court has rendered a decision Ia favor of the legality of the eoolie labor system. Art 11 of ©ur Constitution says, "Involuntary Bervitude ib forever prohibited M whieh if honestly is a prohibition of eoolie glavery; * yet the Sui>reme Court or a ii?ajority of the J udges fail to see the ineongistency. It is a fact that our eoolie system holds out inducements t» recruiting agents to act crooked in enticing men on board ship and on pretence uf signmg agrecmonts to contracts of whieh tlie laborer ean have but a very meagre knowledge of the leading features. Take the purchasing power of a dollar in the matter of food and clothing for instance in Japan and Hawaii, and what does the Jap !laborer know about it—at home—-ahd who ean question his statement that he was misled. What a pretty picture Houth Sea kidnappiog business pr«sented, and yet when a ca?e was brought forward some vears .i£<\ m wnieh the partics woro caught, fla(jran'c <le!icfu, the decr?o

of the Court was that it. was a of iUegal (hieniioal This fijncift|il and illogical judgment iuiposed ia triding fine on the man-stealin|g association of planters; but left the victim cf the was one of hundredsr—without any rddress, to be eight years at the mercy of his kidnappers, in order that the sugar dividends of s6me pious official might not suffer. | Alas tor consistencyl! It is wejl | known that the terms of tho eon- | tracts are not adhered to by tbe masters, the men are transferred i like cattle, £rom one- slave-owner to and tbat they may fefe imprisoned for life for refusing to work, and the lower courts arie daily engaged in fining aiid im- ; prisoiiing laborers, niueh to the satisfāction of the planters". In these lower courts the arguments of counsel for the laborer is iguored and the mere word of the nlanter is supreme. The Court hold§ that the system has been growing ior forty years and ought not therefore to be disturbed. Moreover, the Ilawaiian (yovernment being a party to this. infamv iu human traftic, there is no la w whieh the masters are bound to i respect—not even the formality of signing, acknowltdging orstamp-1 ing a contractis deemed necessary | Why should the sugar industry| be hedged round with a cast-iron | fence. in whieh u manacles"— j <l dungeon " —are the ornamental i insignia, only toned off by "fine" j and "impnaonmeni," Can it not! employ free labor? To his everlasting honor, be it reCorded, that .1 udge Dole dissents from the decision of his colleagues. The niatter is of importance enough to print the judgment of the Court. whieh we will give at an ēarly date. and wiil resume our comnients on the subject.