The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-17

to get rid OF Chinese labor. The pres
ence of a large number of Chinese in
the islands was considered q danger
GUS menace to their well being, and
as long ago as the early seventies an
earnest effort was made to secure Jap
anese laborers. For some time the
Japanese government refused TO listen
to any such propositions, but finally
an arrangement was made by which
Japanese laborers could go to HAWAII.
This arrangement was, however, as
totally different from anything ike
cooIie emigration as it was possible
for any system to be. In the nrsC
place, the whole arrangement was
made the subject of formal treaty.
The interests and welfare of the emil
grants were guarded in every particu-
lar. They were provided with inter
prefers, doctors and special inspectors,
and were granted what was little
short of a species of extra teritoriality
in their new home. 1t was possible
for them at any time to release them
selves upon sufficient cause from tEeir
voluntarily assumed obligations, and
in no case was hardship or oppression
possible. Under the plan of supervis-
ion and control, ably devised and car
ried out with the utmost care, the ex-
pertinent has bad a wonderful success,
and has resulted in mutual profit and
satisfaction to the Hawaiian planter
and the Japanese laborer.
Would Not Go to America.
1t seems unnecessary to point out
that this state of things is essentially
unique, and that il could not occur
except under the peculiar conditions
which prevail in the Hawaiian ISL
ands. The Japanese who go TO Ha-
waii are picked men, and certain
proportion of their wives and families
accompany them. The men, as
rule, are small farmers or farm labor
ers, who desire to earn enough to pay !
their debts, to buy more land, or in |
other ways to improve their condi- /
ton at home. When the time of |
their service is ended they either re-
turn to Japan or re-engage for fur |
ther term with the planters. They |
have not set out on a rowing mission,
but, as general rule, upon specific |
purpose. There Is only the slightest |
likelihood, at least in the great ma |
jOrity of cases, of their going to the |
United States and there becoming a |
menace to domestic labor. The Ha- |
waiian planters would in any case be !
able to offer them inducements as !
tempting as any TO be found in the |
United States. Labor is an article of
prime Importance in the Hawaiian
lar conditions which at present pre-
vail there, and it is only reasonable to
suppose that the planter will use |
every effort to prevent the diversion |
of skilled labor. 1t IS equally fair to
surmise that his efforts will be !
seconded by the officials of his |
own government, as well as by the |
Japanese official whose duty it is to |
promote the welfare OF their country |
men in Hawaii. There can be no such |
thing as coercion in either case, for |
the Iaborers are free agents in all es- |
sentials; but, on the other hand, all |
the facts combine to prove that the |
islands can never become half way |
depot, as it were, for the shipment of |
contract labor to the United States.
If, therefore, any contractor, so call |
ed, in Hawaii has offered to provide |
such labor he is evidently trading up |
on the credulity of those with |
whom he deals, Grand this seems |
much more probable-some over zeal |
Gus official has discovered a veritable |
mares nest.
Like Any Other Foreign >ation.
So Tar as regards the emigration of |
any portion OF her laboriug population |
TO the United States, Japan stands
precisely upon the same footing as any |
other foreign nation. This country |
has its laws regarding the importation /
of contract and other labor, the force /
and validity of which every other |
state is necessarily bound to recognize.
In accordance with those laws the sub
jects and citizens of numerous foreign !
COMMUNICATIONS, Russians, Japan
ese and Others-have been turned /
away from the shores of the United
States. This is right and proper, for
il is entirely within the province of
every independent state to control its
domestic affairs in its own way. But
it is neither just nor polite 10 make
any discrimination in the application
of such restrictions, or to be spurTed
into an exhibition OF superfiuouS zeal
through the apprehension of a purely |
imaginary danger. Happily, the Cir
cumstances of the present case do not
warrant the belief that there will be
such q result as this, or that there will
be need of recourse TO any other or
more stringent measures than are pro-
vided by the terms of existing laws.
So far as Japan is concerned, the |
government has conclusively shown
that il has no desire TO countenance /
the infraction of the laws of other
nations in this regard by making reg
uiations which provide, among other
things, that no Japanese shall emil
CRATE to country where his coming
would be in violation of law. This
stipulation of itself might we'll be re-
garded as satisfactory quietus to
those visionary fears to which the
problematical dangers of japanese inn
migration have given rise.-D. w.
STEVENS in Washington Star.