The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-26
FREE LABOR.

has to say upon the point is worth lis
tening to, and worth very careful con-
sideration. In 1896 this gentleman in
his Report of the Labor Statistics"
reviewed labor conditions on these
islands, from the knowledge he could
obtain from correspondence, and he
then very clearly foreshadowed the
difficulties lying before the country.
What brought the question prominent
ly before him were letters from one
I'll. w. Knight" who wrote from Ho-
nolulu, stating that he could ship jap
anese to California as soon as their
contracts were out here, at the rate
of 200 per month. Who II. w. Knight"
was, does not appear, but as Mr..
Fitzgerald says their tenor shows
shows that they contain dishonest
transaction" The scheme fell through
and all that remains of IL are the let
tiers. The very danger which has been,
time and again, set forth in these col
umns struck Mr. Fitzgerald in 1896,
viz: thai the Japanese would at some
time demand the franchise and then
''would overwhelm in strength the
combined efforts of all other forces"
Questioned as to his opinion upon
the labor conditions here Mr. Fitzger
aid stated that he considered them I'M
satisfactory for the future develop
ment of the islands. a change should
be made and no time should be lost
in making it. Mr.. Fitzgerald is of
opinion that years ago the change
should have been made and quotes the
warning given by James g. Blaine up
on the subject. But, as he says, it is
no use crying over spilled milk, it IS
the future and not the past that must
be considered. He is very sensible
when talking over the change. He
clearly sees that any radical innova-
ton in the labor system here must be
gradual. Any violent change would
throw the whole machinery out of
gear and bring about very undesir-
able condition of affairs.
Having satisfied himself that the
climatic conditions are perfectly suit
see no reason why, instead of looking
to undesirable Asiatic contract labor,
we should not look to the surplus
labor in the United States, as the field
from which can be drawn the assist
ance that the planter needs and which
the Government most earnestly de-
sires. Under present circumstances
the treaty, supposing we do not obtain
annexation, will meet with opposition
from the labor organizations through
out the States, but let there be an or
ganized effort to bring about a change
in labor, looking to the United States
as the ultimate field from which the
labor will be drawn, and the whole
force of the labor organizations will
be eXerted for the islands and not
against them.
The effort to change the labor must
ed in an interview published in these
columns on Saturday, Mr.. Fitzgerald
could have obtained orders from many
of the Hilo planters for laborers, but
that is not what is wanted. 1t is an
organized effort on the part of the
planters to radically change the sys'
tenn, and the laying down plans fol
bringing about that change in Ger
tain definite number of years. The
matter presses and should be taken il
hand at once. The cost of the worl
will be greater, but the work done
will be infinitely better. The divi
dends may not be as large, because
the laborer will have to have create
share, but an Anglo-Saxon state will
be built up, and the property will b.
infinitely safer than it is now.
The arguments of Mr.. Fitzgerald ar
cogent. He understands what he j
talking about, and he has seen witt
his own eyes how work is carried oil
here. He has met many of our prin
cipal planters and has heard wha
tn y have to say from their exper
fence. From reports of these inter
views it seems that in all cases MI
Fitzgerald brought those he talke'
with round to his own views. HI
showed how white labor has supplant
ed Chinese and japanese labor in Cal
ifornia and he is satisfied that it cal
supplant the Asiatic labor here. Thi
country he regards as affording
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