Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-23
The Sandwich Islands in Danger
From Japan and China.
PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE RESTRICTIONS
Hawaiian Finances and tho Pre-
vailing High Rates Of Interest.
P U B LILO sTION

specla' correspondence of The Evening Star.
HONOLULU, April 2, 1885,
A prominent incident of the past fort
night has been a demonstration made by
portuguese workingmen to express their
opposition to further importation of Asiatic
laborers. After considerable agitation and
certain preliminary meetings to make ar
rargements, on the morning of March %
an assemblage Of Portuguese artisans and
iaDorerS marched in a body to the execu-
i've building, where the legislatu was sit
ung, and presented lengthy petition
against Asiatic immigration. The most re-
liable counting of the numbers in the pro-
cession made them a little short of 700.
They We're entirely peaceable and orderly
in demeanor. Col. Mclean, who is chief
OF the military force, met them half way
from the gate, and directed them where
and how tc stand while their committee of
twenty carried in their petition. The COM
L-ittee was received by Minister Cooper,
VINO had copies of the document made for
the president and each house of the legis-
lature to whom they were soon presented.
Ife whole was soon over and the process
5ionists retired
AS method of securing attention and
Lending emphasis to their statement of
grievances this public demonstration of
the Portuguese may be regarded sue
for its good order and peaceable tone. 1t
is felt, however, that such assemhlages are
liable TO assume menacing aspect. A
large body of men approaching the legisla-
ture with a petition is apt to wear an APP
pearance of intimidation. The precedent
seems to be bad one. 1t is quite possible
that much larger assemblage of Japan
csc might be gathered for some similar
purpose, who might not be so peaceable.
O. "a crowd of natives might come together
to demonstrate their sentiments to the
RAM -nrafo Sc
be a mischievous fashion, as tending to
agitate the minds and disturb the judg-
mehts of our lawmakers. 1t is not unlikely
that law will be passed prohibiting such
assemblages in the future.
Against the Asiatics.
At the same time the sympathies of
most of the whites in the country are with
the Portuguese, whose grievance is a gen.
une one and is deeply felt by all except
these directly interested in sugar produc-
ton. This continued importation Of Asatic
laborers. chiefly japanese, is extremely
damaging to the interests of the whites of
all classes, except capitalists profitng by
cheap labor. AS formulated in the Portu-
guese petition, the grievance is:
That the invasion during the last few
years of Chinese and Japanese into these
islands has been such that the remunera
tior of labor has been reduced to such
figure that 1t has become almost impos-
sible fer European and other workingmen
to subsist on the wages offered"
The fact here stated is substantially
true and constitutes in the judgment of
many the most serious evil with which
Hawaii is now wrestling. There has been
for several years, and still continues, q
steady stream of Japanese laborers pouring
N at the rate of about 5000 a year They
brought here to labor on the sugar
plantations. their passages being paid by
the planters. They come under contract to
serve for three years. Their wages are 81
or S12 a month, lodging, firewood and med
ical attendance being free. Such pay is a
great attraction to the Japanese peasantry,
but means extreme poverty to the Euro
pean laborer. although paid for his supe-
rior strength at the rate Of S16 month,
which has been the usual wages of Portu-
guese laborers on the plantations. This is
all that is now offered them, and is not ac-
cepted by any number of them. Indeed,
few japanese will continue on the planta-
lions after their contracts have expired,
except on advanced wages which their in
creased skill may secure for them.
Crowdinx Into Honolulu.
AS a rule the great majority of planta-
ton laborers of all classes desert the plan
tations as soon as their contracts expire.
They trust to the chances of lettering them
selves in other employments. Their labor
has been drudging and monotonous, perhaps
under harsh overseers. They are too often
lodged in barracks, with an absence of all
possibilities of making things homelike. AS
truits from Asia at cheap rates he will pay
but small advance in wages to the more eX-
perienced laDorer. AS a consequence the
1aborers are dispersed around the islands.
Few of them return to their own homes.
They simply increase the laboring popula-
ton of the islands. They largely crowd in
to the city. Thus Honolulu has filled up
with large mixed population of Portu-
gueSe, Chinese and japanese, most of whom
have served out their three years of
tract labor on the plantations.
Of these three natioDalities the Portu-
guese arrived first in the islands, coming
mostly in importations from Madeira and
the Azores, from ten to fifteen years ago.
Since then they have considerably multi
piled by births, and now number over 600
souls. Although mainly of the Latin or
South Europe race, they are strictly white
people, with no admiXture of African blood,
such as was usual in the earlier arrivals Of
Portuguese on whalers from the Cape de
Verde Islands. Although mostly quite ilit-
crate. they are pco<a of excellent morals.
orderly, thrifty Industrious. provident and
apable. Their ethical sentiments are those
of European Christendom and radically far
above and superior to those of Asiatics, SO
that they naturally ,assimilate and combine
with the other white nationalities repre-
scented here. They make an excellent class
of citizens. Their very numerous children
are receiving sound English education in
the public schools, and in another genera
ton will be quite indistinguishable from
other whites.
highly desirable for the future of these is
lards. They are Injured to severe toll
Among them are considerable numbers Of
mechanics and artisans. Many are skilled
stonecutters and PAYERS Most Of the brick
blocks erected during the past five years
nave cut stone fronts, the handiwork of
Portuguese. Perhaps ten miles of heavy,
handsome stone curling line our sidewalks
cut during the past five years by the same
workmen. They are a neutrality-suspicious.
and a frugal people No more serviceable
class of laborers Is to be found anywhere
From lack of education but small pro-
portion have as yet risen into higher walks
of business life.
,Japanese Against Portuguese.
AS artisans and laborers it is these Por-
tuguese people who most severely feel the
competition of Asiatic cheap labor. Per-
haps 5000 japanese plantation laborers are
set at liberty every year to find other en-
ployment in the islands, and considerable
proportion of these drift into this city and
longest the labor market to the grievous
detriment Of the Portuguese householders,
whose pretty homes have for many years
been growing throughout the city outskirts
They do not crowd the slums like the Asiat-
les But 1t is not merely unskilled labor