The Hawaiian Gazette

The Alpha and Omega of Immigration.

EDITOR Gazette:–Mr. A. Marques, the worthy editor and proprietor of that most illustrious shadow of a paper, called by the euphonious name of Luso Hawaiian, seems desirous, and for that purpose has thrown several times into the arena, in a pompous and defying manner, the gauntlet, in token of challenge, to have some one to cut the Gordian knot attached to the vexed question—to be or not to be—to have or not to have—any more immigration; or, as that gentleman says, an increase of white population.

Seeing that the mighty sword of Alexander the Great has long ago cut asunder that knot; the remaining alternative for us is, to dissolve that knotty intricacy, not by the sword, but by the pen; and besides you know that the pen is mightier than the sword. That gentleman arrogates unto himself the sole solution of that vexed question of immigration, of which he is, of all the apostles of old, the only one left, that insists and persists in advocating, either more Portuguese immigration or, at the most, by all means, an increase of white population! Who told him that the continuation of Portuguese immigration was so sorely wanted or even desired? Not the poor Portuguese themselves—how could they lend themselves to such a wild scheme as that, in the face of all the misery and hardships they are obliged to endure, in order to eke out a miserable existence, which we all know to be the fact.

Know then, Mr. Marques, what you ought to know; that no sensible Portuguese resident in these isles wishes, much less has the heart, to see shipload after shipload of misguided and unfortunate countrymen arrive here, because that would be a crying sin against God and man. Because, by false representations, by well colored promises, those unfortunate beings leave their homes, and once there, what is, or what will be their fate? Being all simple laborers, they are employed in the cane fields where they suffer the vilest of treatment, and when their contract or bondage expires, their usefulness in that line ceases, and afterwards they are left to shift themselves the best way they can; and God only knows how they live and try to keep the wolf from their squalid abodes!

And at the sight of such hard existence and you knowing well beforehand what sort of fate awaits them here, I am astonished that you, Mr. Marques, that so loudly boasts and pretends to be the friend and defender of the Portuguese, should be the first to advocate the continual stream of immigration. As we are adverse to any further Chinese immigration, so are we likewise sternly opposed to any new importations of Portuguese that looks more like white slavery than anything else.

The Portuguese Colony, as it is, does not know what to do with themselves, being hard pressed by the surrounding circumstances, which the Government cannot or will not ameliorate. All this is the deplorable fault of our own home Government, which, in the beginning, failed to display all the foresight towards securing unto us all the advantages that the Japanese Government was wise enough to obtain in favor of its nationality. Much less hope of comfort would the legions of the new comers have, which the ill and unjust advised encouragement of Mr. Marques so loudly invokes. Your very notions and savings prove that you are far from being the staunch friend of the Portuguese, as you assert to be. On the contrary, that pretended friendship extends only so far as it may be subservient to your own purposes, and no further. Besides, how could it be otherwise? You are an Italian by birth. How then can you serve two masters? Being such, with what shadow of right do you pretend to be so very intimately fond of the Luso folks—calling yourself at one breath their protector and defender?

Perhaps solely on account of that flimsy pretext of your being the director of the Luso. The title by itself is well enough, embraces all that is patriotic, grand and beautiful, and revives at all times the fast extinguishing embers of the gone-by splendor and glorious deeds of Old Lusitania. That's all; but unfortunately, in the opinion of competent judges, the paper's contents are too much adulterated with gallicisms to be truly representative of genuine Lusitanians. It is one thing to assume a representative role—quite another to carry it out with acceptance.

Finally, allow me to tell you, that whatever benefits or improvements the Portuguese desire to obtain from this new Government, they have in due form entrusted to the care of our duly appointed representative, the Hon. F. Hustace, and that gentleman will see to it that the several resolutions contained in our petition are faithfully carried through the legislative body. Now, you see that we are well represented, and, therefore, all your out of the way remarks and philippics are, to say the least, injurious and damaging to our interests, and you will do well, if you are the man of sense I take you to be, in restraining your field of observation in that direction, and by doing so, you will not tire out the patience of those that have the true welfare of the Portuguese at heart, and are most willing to do something for them. Leave off, therefore, that monomania of yours about the immigration, and employ more profitably your leisure time in studying the Portuguese, and correcting your Luso; if you do so, you will gain faster the admiring sympathies of all the Colony, without bothering yourself, or other people, about the increase of population—that will come naturally enough of itself, whether you want it or not.

Immigration being the soothing balm of your overtasked imagination, the most cherished dream of your life, the Alpha and Omega of your existence, know then, that at this very moment a noble ship is ploughing its way through the briny waves of the Pacific ocean, freighted with a precious load of misguided souls that dream of heaven—who come only to increase the number of the existing population, and take a bite from the scanty morsel that fate has reserved for those not so over happy countrymen of theirs. If the hopeful prospect of the new comers is anything but pleasing to you, you are welcome to it. May you enjoy it ever so much, and continue to brag that you are our best friend and defender. It may help you to a new ship load—then your happiness will be complete!

It is a crying shame that our home government do not put a stop to such a degrading piece of business, to such slaughter of the innocents. If the people want to leave their homes, is there not other more desirable places to go to, and nearer at hand—viz: Africa, South America, Brazil and the United States—where at least they will be free and independent, and have not to suffer so many hardships, as those they are sure to meet here. Only unfeeling and selfish hearts can rejoice over such squalid misery!

WIDE AWAKE.