The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-06-22
MR.. BALDWINS raMARKS
MADE BEFORE run AMERICAS
LEAGUE.


address YOU to night at first said: mo.
am NOT "A public speaker | have never
sought Tor laurels in that line and have
never won any" ] finally, however,
agreed to say a few words TO you. be
cause | wish to come more into touch
with the American League. | have
fellow feeling for working people and
mechanics, have been so constantly
among them for over thirty years of my
life.
/ did not get into the managers house
by craw ing in at the window. | com
menced at the bottom round of the
ladder and worked my way up, first as
petty luna over five or six men in the
cane fields, at the age of 20.
1t will be well for me to explain my
position in this move for establishing
republic and for annexation, and what
understand to he the position of most OF
the other planters who are supporting
the PROVISIONAL Government, especially
Us ! have been led to believe that
great many are suspicious OF the planters
in connection with this move. There is
feeling that what is for your interest
must be against the interest of the
planter, and by subversal, what is for
the interest OF the planter must be
against your interest. Now there is no
reason for suspicion, and there is no
foundation for it in the facts. The plat
form adopted by the Provisional Gov
eminent is SO pronounced in its char
acter, and the declaration made by the
leaders OF the Government that their
object is to establish republic and
seek for annexation with the United
States till they get it, is so
clean cut and emphatic in its
nature that there is no doubt as to
what the whole move means and all
the planters who have joined the ranks
of the party have come in with their
eyes open-they accept of the situa-
tion-they accept the proposition,
Some influenced by Claus Spreckels
have not, because they have fears re-
lative to the labor question. l believe
that part of the planters who have
joined the party, have done SO not
withstanding the difficulties connected
with the labor question, because they
think it is the only way in which we
can secure stable government.
am an Annexationist because / be-
lieve that the only solution of our
political difficulties is to come under the
stars and stripes. l was not an Annex
ationist prior to January II, 1893. AT
that time believed in maintaining the
Monarchy IS long as possible, but when
the Queen tried to put the
country back fifty years in its
progress. this was too much to be en-
dured, and | fell into line. But we are
not annexed yet, and | wish to say a few
words on the labor question as it con-
fronts US to day.
1 think there is a feeling that if the
planters We're left to themselves they
would food the country wi h Asiatic la
Dor regardless of the consequences, from
the purely selfish motive of having all
the labor they wanted. | wish to deny
and refute such charges. Undoubtedly
there are those who do not propose to
make this country their home who are
Indifferent on this question. but those
who have lived in the country for years
and intend to make it their home be-
lieve in placing restrictions on all Chi
nese laborers that may be introduced.
say plainly as citizen of Hawaii,
born and brought up here with family
of children who will probably make this
their home, that l am not in favor
of turning this beautiful country into
Chinese colony; and holding this view
/ have always been ready to meet the
representatives OF the Mechanics Union
in Honolulu on the question of passing
restrictive measures.
| have been in the Legislature foui
sessions. In 1890 and 1892 assisted il
framing and passing the constitutions
amendment that provided for and allow
special legislation restricting immi
grants; and in 1890 | assisted in passin,
"a bill restricting Chinese, that was 81
strong in its terms and conditions, bind
ing both planter and immigrant, that
said l would not introduce any Chimes
under such a law. The planters in TIN
House assisted in passing this law
although the complexion OF the Hous
was such that we could have passed
much more lenient law-but we did no
take advantage of this fact.
1t must be admitted that the planter
in this country, representing the prin
cipal industry, are power in til
land; but in proof OF the fact tina
they have not used this power to Intro
duce Chinese ad libertum, would ca
attention to the fact that only fe'
years ago there were about 10000 Oh
nese in the. country, and now there al
less than $4,000.
This is a tropical country and til
white man cannot work in our car
fields. This has been thoroughly den
onstrated. So that if the Chinese al
placed, under restrictions they will NJ
come into competition with the wifi
man. In this respect this country di
fers from the United States.
/ believe it to be a correct principle
political economy, that the prosperIt
of country depends to great extel
on their being an ample supply of Il
lowest class or grade of labor that ca
can be obtained at cheap figure, al
the cheaper this labor can be obtaine
for the greater the number of industri
and enterprises that will be opened l
..n.,.i..l md thn mara ,,.n1