The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-31

/ by the numerous Senate and House res
olution, either regular or third, or by
the petition and demonstration on the
part of the Portuguese colony.
Mr. S. Shimmamura, Consul General
for Japan, was asked last night if he
had any opinion on the subject which
he wished TO make public. Posing his
words for moment he said:
4 cannot say that 1 have no opinion,
so I will say that l have none for pub
LEGATION. You know l was away on Ha-
wall for several weeks, and directly /
returned l went to Kauai. When l ar
rived home l was given some informa-
ton about the matter and the discus
sion that was had from different points
of view by members of the Third House.
Let me ask you what it is all about"
We'll the people here, people of all
nationalities, Mr.. Shimamura, excepting
the Japanese, have come to the conclu-
sion that the Hawaiian Islands are toe
small for the Japanese, and that they
should move out" said the reporter.
And why?"
For the reason that the Japanese
are making severe inroads upon the
trade of the white storekeepers, and
upon the work of mechanics and labor
ers''
Then the idea is, 1 presume" said
Mr. Shimmamura, with smile, ''to
give the white merchants a monopoly
of all the business in Hawaii. Well, I
DON'T think that is allowable in any
country in the world-no not even in
Africa. The white people may have
the bulk of the trade wherever they
may go, if they can get it, and they can,
in every new country; but the people
here should remember one thing-Ho-
nOlulu is not the Hawaiian Islands,
And another thing-sugar is king.
so long as sugar is the principal
item of production here, so long must
the labor be cheap, and it would be
foolish for the Government to overlook
its chief interest,"
But what do you think of the atti-
tude of the Portuguese, Mr.. Shimma-
mura %
Il have thought very little about it.
1t appears to me from the casual notice
l have given it that it is desire on the
part of one set of aliens brought here
under the direction of the Government
to dictate to that Government regarding
it's attitude toward another set of ali |
ems brought here under exactly the |
same conditions If it is necessary to |
have cheap labor here-and | know it |
is-then the Portuguese should accus-
tom themselves OF the condition OF af-
fairs"
But that touches the working class !
directly, and the merchant class indi- |
rectly-" said the reporter. Let us look |
for moment at the merchants side in |
so far as competition is concerned. Be
hind the movement by the Portuguese |
many of the white merchants stand |
How do you intend conciliating those |
people?"
Let me ask you if you have consid- |
cred the amount of money invested |
here by foreigners apart from Asiatics? |
like $27 100000
The Japanese have practically moth |
ing, and with nothing the white merch-
ants, you say, believe the Japanese are |
driving them out of business. [ am
afraid they set too high a value on the |
of the Japanese
But suppose it is true, Mr.. Shin
and this Government. in or
der to protect the Portuguese laboring
class and the whiteymerchants from the
Japanese. would give notice of a desire
to abrogate the treaty, what would be
the result?''
L cannot answer so difficult a cues
ton just now
Would the abrogation of the treaty
be followed by the departure of all of
he japanese from the islands?''
Most certainly not. When you say
reaty l presume you mean convention
The last OF the contracts of men who
anne here directly under the terms of
he convention will expire in June, 1897.
f those men wish to return l presume
hey viii do So
do l understand, then, that the Jap
nese immigrants who arrive here every
ew months do not come under the
erms of the labor convention? >"
Only indirectly. They come through
companies. OF course they
lave practically the same protection
rom the Government as the others. but
erhaps its responsibility is less
Then the abrOgation of the labor
invention is not such a serious affair.
fter all How about the treaty? If
hat was abrogated-''
The Government is too wise to abro- =
ate a treaty with a friendly nation.
nd the officials of this Government
now the disadvantages of such an act" 7
But may be the Government shares
he same feeling of concern regarding
our people that the merchants dc. The
are progressive, and, said the
eporter, ut is current that the Japan I
Sc can make anything that is made in
ne United States, and sell it there.
ven with practically prohibitory tar