The morning call., 1892-06-23
HUDDLED LIKE SHEEP.
How the Japs Are Imported Into
This Country.
Fifty of Them Packed Away in the Hold of the
John c, Potter-They Will Work for $40
Month-A Case for Legislation.

The slowing away of six Chinese on the
bark Sonoma few days ago gave rise to
special investigation, which developed the
fact that band of japanese coolies had
been taken On board, placed on the passen-
ger list and carried over to this port much
in the fashion cattle are imported, only
with less regard to the health and comfort
OF the Japs, considered in the light of
human beings. A sheep or a cow costs
money, and it would be a risky procedure
to pack away whole band OF them in the
hold OF vessel sailing from the tropics. A
Jap more or less does not count, however,
and as it is presumed that these coolies
were accessory to their own wrong, no great
amount OF legal or official Indignation is
likely to be expended over the treatment TO
which they have been subjected.
The Potter is an American vessel OF 1903
tons, and left Honolulu with a cargo OF
29,494 sacks of sugar. Among these sacks
the miserable Japs were dumped, so TO
speak, with no hunks or other accommoda-
tons whatever. Technically there is a re-
quirement of 100 cubic feet of air space to
each passenger carried, and 1t is quite pos
slble That such air space existed, so that the
letter oil the law may have been complied
Win while its spirit has been violated
grossly and inhumanly. The Potter had
good weather during the first few days of
the trip, but On June 10 the vessel ran into
gale which carried away her tODmast-stay,
split her main upper topsall, main topmast-
staYsaIl and miZZen tOpsail and did large
amount of damage above and below. The
wIetched Japs, who had enjoyed gllmmer
OF Light and a little fresh air during the first
three or four days, were now consigned to
Zimmerman darkness. the matches being per-
force battened down ana every cTeYice
through which fresh air could come Care
fully stopped up lest water should find its
way into the cargo. Water in a cargo of
sugar Is like fire In cargo Of gnnpOwder,
and the Japs were not considered in the
grave question OF how to prevent the sugar
from becoming a salt-sweet solution, value
less TO tile importers.
1t Is freely stated that there are o exist
ing laws applicable to this state of things,
SO long as the letter OF the contract labor
law is not violated and the 100 cubic feet OF
air space can be c0nslructiYely shown to
have existed In the hold where these
wTetched coolies had been dumped There
are plenty Of white men in San Francisco
who can remember the scanI accommoda-
tons and Drivations of the steerage in the
days OF the California gold fever, and the
Nicaragua transit has not faded. from the
memories of others. But in the case Of the
Hawaiian ships which are bringing IN this
Japanese horde, individual aspiration is en-
tirely subordinate TO servile greed and gain.
and every fresh cargo OF Japs dumped on
these shores is bringing home TO California
the bitter lesson which Hawaii has already
learned.
Such at least was the sentiment expressed
by those who stood ON Fisherman's wharf
yesterday afternoon and watched five
whitehall boats landing as pover:y-stricken
and ill-favored set of MOngolans as ever
set foot on those shores before the
days of the exclusion act. These men. who
had survived an ordeal on the Potter that
would have killed a waterfront bum out
right, had money enough 10 evade the
pauper act. They lied easily and gracefully
on the contract labor proposition and so
they were landed, as hundreds If more viii
be If special legislation does not intervene
There are now 1000 Chinese and japanese
on the way from the Orient TO Honolulu
In the present course Of things they will
make stay on the island just long enough
to find way to San Francisco. The Chi
nese will be smuggled in if possible. Tbs
Japs will come in the hold, packed like sar-
dimes Ia box, and then be let loose on the
ranches OF California TO labor at $40 a
month, board or no board.
1t was q subject OF general remark on the
city front yesterday that no Government
agent would dare to land from steamer
tue ill-favored set of coolies who were sci
free from the hold Of the Potter yesterday.