The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-01-26
ON White LABOR
Result Of Efforts Of The California
Bureau.
SIX THOUSAND SECURE WORK
HoboS and BummerS are
Rigidly Excluded.
SIX THOUSAND SECURE WORK
Strong Opposition to Japanese.
Better Wages Paid White
Agricultural Laborers.

of California for the year 1896 has just
been issued by the Commissioner, E.
L. Fitzgerald. 1t contains matter
which is interesting to the sugar plan
tiers of Hawaii. Instead of maintain
ine the bureau as one for labor sta
tisucs, the Commissioner changed ii
into one for labor supply, and has
been experimenting in bringing the
laborers and the employers of labor 70
setber, under State supervision.
During the last year nearly 5000
white people have obtained situations
tina ough the bureau. These persons
have been selected with care. The "ho-
Ices" and buns" and tramps have
been rejected. A system of registra-
sion was selected, so that unreliable
PERSONS would quickly be put on rec
ord.
The ranchmen, the farmers and the
orchardists were, at first, slightly OPP
posed TO taking labor of this kind, CIV
ing TO their very unfortunate expert
ences in employing white labor, which
often proved most unreliable. But M.
Fiuzeerald's scheme has turned out
well, and the employers of labor in
the country are gradually taking stock
in the plan.
The plan of a free labor bureau, this
report states, was started in Ohio some
years ago, and was warmly commend
ed by Mr. Mckinley. Its success was
so great that it was adopted by the
State OF Minnesota where it is now in
most successful operation.
Commissioner Fitzgerald saw the
sreat advantages of this scheme to the
State of California, and of his own
accord, without State support, con-
yerted the Statistical Bureau into one
OF free labor. His report treats, in a
lGy able manner, of the different
methods of securing labor, and the
advantages of bringing together the
employers OF labor and those who Of
fer II, with some guarantee by a re
spousIble Intermediary that contracts
will be kept. This guarantee is moral,
il.4.tr than financial.
ne report makes several important
poiLIs. 1t says, firstly, that there is
growing ny a strong opposition to the
"a. .iUynent OF japanese laborers. Tt
is estimated that there are now nearly
lO,OjO OF them in the State, and that
they are coming in rapidly from many
poI...s, especially from British Colum-
Jla. me commissioner has not been
aUIc, even with power which he IA
oil administering oaths, to ascertain the
exact methods by which the imni-
grants are brought in. He is clear that
Ii is done in spite of the laws against
contract labor. Japanese, who are ia
miliar with the needs of the farmers,
furnish gangs of their own people to
work on the ranches, and then import
such labOrers as they require. The la
borers are brought over by emigration
companies. who are in some way under
Government control. The rate of wages
in California is so much above that
o. Japan that there is great induce
ment for the people of that country 10
mortgage their little property and emf
CRATE to a country which flows with
milk and honey. The Commissioner
fears that unless this immigration is
restricted in some way, it will greatly
increase. and compete with the white
labor of the States.
The wages paid to these japanese is
about 81 per day, while white laborers
of the same class are paid s1.50 The
, ranchmen are not fully agreed on the
relative value of these two different
kinds of labor, but several intelligent
farmers testify that they prefer the
=shi'e men at $3.50 to the Japanese at
81 per day.
The japanese labor is regarded as in
ferior to the Chinese, who are more
steady, and do not have the fighting
rCtions of the japanese. The latter
arc disposed to drunkenness, and like
&c rove about the country.
While white labor is preferred, the
difficulty of obtaining it has encour
a eG ia pdneSe Immigration.
The tendency of white labor immi-
grafton is towards the cities, especial
" San Francisco, and the trouble is tc
distribute this labor through the
country There has been no method OF
distribution as it is now done in Ohio
and Minnesota. Employment agen-
ries. conducted by individuals, are
conducted on the plan of enriching the
proprietors, with little regard to tbs
needs of the employers, who are exas,
nerated at the miserable stuff sent IL
item with good recommendations"
AS the State Bureau keeps a record
of every one who obtains labor
through its agency, the "repeaters'
and ''hoboes" are soon discovered ana
spotted" The singular success of Tbs
bureau is indicated by the fact thai
only 80 complaints have been mad.
against labor furnished by it.
And the important suggestion is