The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-08-22
He Was There When the Black
birds Arrived.
HOW PRISONERS ARE TREATED.
The Fate which Awaits the Japanese
When Once Landed in
Guatemala.

Mr.. Ben Mason, who is we'll and
favorsbly known in this country, and
who has resided on these islands for
a period of fifteen years, being en-
ployed in different capacities, return
ed short time ago from an extended
trip through South and Central
America. Mr.. Mason is a machinist
by trade. During last year he re-
sided in Guatemala, where he was
employed by the Guatemala Railway
Company. He remembers distinctly
the arrival of 400 blackbird South
Sea Islanders by the steamer Mon
serrat in that country last September.
He remembers the occasion because
the arrival of these slaves was the all
absorbing topic in Guatemala at the
time, and because he fitted out the
engine in Guatemala that was re-
quired to carry the special train
which had to be made up to convey
these blackbirds from San Jose,
where they landed, into the interior
of the country.
Mr.. Mason has made two trips to
Central America, and has also trav-
eled through San Salvador, Near
aqua and Costa Rica. He remained
in Guatemala eight months on his
last visit, and left that city during
the month of February of this year,
returning here by the way of Mexico
and California.
AS consequence of these two
visits, Mr.. Mason is fully conversant
with the history of Central America,
her people and their mode of living.
Learning that this paper had been
attacked on account of some CORE
spondence which appeared in its
columns concerning the treatment of
laborers on the coffee plantations in
Guatemala, Mr. Mason has kindly
volunteered to give the public the
benefit of his knowledge in regard to
how laborers are treated in that
country, through the ADVERTISER.
Il have read the letter OF Clogs"
said Mr. Mason, (which was pub
iished in your paper few days ago,
and while l can verify the state
ments made therein, he did not go
| far enough, nor did he tell the half
of the hellish things carried Oh in
that country. The people of
Guatemala are mostly thieves,
murderers, cut-throats and the
like. They are ignorant, vic
ious and bloodthirsty. The lunas
on the plantations the most de
generate scoundrells on the face of
the earth. They go heavily armed
at all times and maltreat the slaves
under them in the most horrible
manner. He says the people of
Guatemala are all Catholics, and that
the priests run the government and
the government runs the people. He
verities the statement of Professor
Brigham that foreign contract labor
ers are not allowed to attend church
or receive the benefits of the weekly
holidays. He denies in toto the state
ment that coffee will not grow below
an altitude of $500 feet and says there
are several plantations along the
government road near Champonica,
which are not over 800 feet elevation.
The published statments regarding
the manner in which contract labor
ers are fed on beans and jerked beef,
and housed in corrugated iron build |
ings was also verified by Mr.. Mason.
He says further that there is no gold |
in circulation in that country at all,
aud that q silver dollar is worth but |
so cents in Guatemala.
Continuing Mr.. Mason says that
no coffee is grown on the Atlantic |
side, the entire country being !
low and swampy, heavily timbered /
and Astounding with rank vegetation,
aud containing nothing but anaconda
ard adder sns kes, monkeys, noun
tain lions, parrots, and birds of pray
Through this desdly swamp country
the Guatemalean government intends
building railway from Livingston
to Guatemala, n distance of six days
travel Ivy mule back, equalling about
125 miles.
The govern ment has found it i'm
possible TO compel the native poems
to work this line, and Mr. Mason
believes that the black uirds which
we're imported last year We're brought
out for the purpose OF bui ling that
railway. He links il Japanese are
imported into Guatemala they will
be eventually conpe led TO labor on
the railway mentioned. Once landed
in Guatemala, tie Japanese would
be at the mercy of the contractors,
and would either be compelled to
abide by their wishes or be impris-
oned or shot. Il would be impossi %