The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-24
Demonstration on Wednesday
Morning.
PETITION TO THE LEGISLATURE.
Complaints Against Misunderstanding
Bread From the Laboring Manic
Show the Government Good Back
ing-No Intimidation is Intended

On last Sunday afternoon there was
another very large gathering of Portu-
guese at Lusitana Hall for the purpose
Of continuing the work of the previous
enthusiastic meetings, and it was de-
cided that the Portuguese should pc
tition the Legislature in body We'd
nesday morning between the hours of
9 and II. This was the unanimous
conviction of the meeting, and the mat
ter was left in the hands of commit
tee to be reported on at a meeting to be
held this evening. In order to clear UP
the position of the Portuguese and to
set their action and stand clearly before
the public, Portuguese prominent in
business circles of the city was called
on last night and spoke as follows:
"You are aware that for a long time
the laboring men have been trying to
do something toward stopping the con-
tinuous flow of Asiatic laborers into the
country. You are also aware that these
efforts have proven spasmodic and
fruitless.
''The Portuguese form large pro-
portion of the laboring people on the
islands, and when it was proposed that
they make some stand they fell in line
willingly.
Before proceeding any further you
did not club together as Portuguese
for the sole purpose of protecting their
own interests. That is not the point
at all. They did this because they
thought a better beginning of the fight
against the Asiatics could be accom-
plished in that manner. We are heart
and hand with every laborfng, man,
BARRING the Asiatics, and we shall con-
tinue to be as long as we are on Ha-
waiian soil.
Meetings have been held and we
have steadily worked the matter up
until the decision to place the matter
before the law makers of the country in |
two petitions, most reasonable and just, |
bearing upon the question of labor |
That we expect a favorable answer to |
these goes without saying.
Il cannot give you the exact contents |
of these petitions, since they have not
been perfected yet, but 1 will tell you
that they are for the protection of the
interests of the laborlng class who are
good citizens of the Republic
Yes, we shall march to the Execu-
i've building grounds Wednesday morn
ing, and we shall present our petitions
to the Legislature.
why do we intend going en- masse?
Just to lend force to the thoughts ex-
pressed in the petitions, and to show the
Government that they have the backing
of goodly portion of the laboring
class
I'VE have come to a point where
must be done. That sounds
rather like hollow statement, for the
often use it and mean moth
ing; but we have awakened to the fact |
that we must put upon our respective
homes the sign, For Sale if a radical |
change is not introduced soon And |
is that very pleasant thought for peo-
pie who have labored conscientio |
and who have made their homes in the |
spent their money here and |
paid their taxes?
I'VE have learned that there is soon |
to be another lot of 1 800 japanese ship
ped into the country. Why? Because
contracts have expired on the planta-
tions. Does that mean that ], 800 Jap
anese will step out Of the country? |
Well, the experience of the past is re-
futation enough. Some will come to
and engage in various occu
pations, good, bad and Indifferent. 9th
ers will scatter over the islands. What
are they doing? Taking the bread |
out Of the mouths of the laboring man
and his family. l tell you the question
is a grave one and must be dealth with
Immediately.
I'VE do not suppose that these pc
titions Will settle the whole matter.
We simply intend them as a beginning, |
and hope that they will prove a good
one with the support of the laboring
class, barring the Asiatics."