The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-06-24
YET THEY oRJEcr TO HAWAII
Commissioner Fitzgerald Finds Asia
tics I'm California.

Commissioner Fitzgerald Finds ASIA
tics I'm California
The Chronicle of June 15 says: Labor
Commissioner Fitzgerald has returned
from his tour of investigation among the
beet fields of Pleasanton, Alvarado, wat
sonviIle and Salinas, bringing WIN Win nm nm
pute regarding the number OF japanese
employed in that industry.
II have made a thorough INVESTIGATION
in those territories" the Commissioner
stated yesterday, and while 1 would
have been glad to md that vas mis- i
taken in my declarations regarding the
number of Japanese employed IN DSet
farming, 4 am forced TO admit that the
conditions are more appealing than l.
Il find that between 50 and 81 per cent
of all the labor used in the beet fields OF
California are Japanese and Chinese, with
the Chinese fast going TO the wall against
the japanese competition In the town
of jacksonville there are no less than
five Japanese headquarters, with signs
announcing, Beet cOntractors-work by
the day, ton or otherwise
And by way of comparison L wish 10
state that the cane fields OF HaWan nave
a much larger per cent OF wnlte va IL
per cent? as against coolie labor, whlie
the beet fields of our own California
show only from TO per cent The Jap
anese bosses In the beet nelds tOlu me
tina. they expected to handle the entire
industry and that they could get all the
Japanese. necessary by way OF Victoria,
and that when IL became a better bust
ness proposition they expected to become
farmers and bid against the whites in
s~The beet-sugar factories have been
closed since last season, and when in
five months in the year, and a factory
that will employ go laDOrerS Will handle
to be seen that might interest labor IS
that all labOr-Saving devices possible
have been obtained. These, with the bal
ance of the machinery, nave Deen DrouShI
from Germany, and the skilled workmen
to operate the same have also been I'M
ported The machinery to be used in
he a Salinas will also be
of foreign make, and a clause mas peen
inserted in the tariff bill now pending
to admit this machinery free OF duty:
Under these conditions, ask labor,
skilled and unskilled, to try and tathom
where their future hopes lie in the beet
sugar industry of California How do
they like the picture2 And for the fore
going reasons, together with the fact
that the sugar-beet industry increases
IL will invite tens of thousands of Jap
aneSe, who will not only control the beet
Industry but will become rivals in all
branches, and the land that has been
practically handled by American labor in
the growing of wheat, etc, will be used
handled by cooHe labor. The beet-grower
will not receive the benefits accruing
from cheap Monaghan labor, as the SUI
gar trusts will only pay them just mar
gin enough upon the cost of production
to keep them engaged in the business,
and that cannot be better proved than
by the fact that in 1892, when white Ia
Dor was engaged in the fields, beets
brought s. per ton, whereas today they
are only bringing $3.50 to 81, while the
enormous profits to the sugar trusts jus
titles their paying SO per ton or more
This year the yield will be light within
the vicinity of jacksonville, besides one
fourth Of the same Will be failure,
at the present outlook the farmers will
make no money on this years crop. This
is the industry in behalf of which Sem
atOr Perkins expects to justify his action
In voting against the Reciprocity Treaty
now existing with Hawaii-a treaty that
means so much TO San Francisco COM
merce."
Commissioner Fitzgerald also expressed
surprise that ~ b Spreckels should
champion the interests OF the Japanese
against the whites. TT is surprising" he
said In conclusion. that a State official
should make such misleading statements
in behalf Of the Orientals and detriment-
al to the interests of the American Ia
borer."