The San Francisco call., 1897-11-01

them to OPPOSE annexation upon every honor
able ground.
AS far as am concerned this action of our
Council OF Labor WAS not taken hastily. Ihad
given to the subject some considerable
thought and study before | arrived st con-
clusion.
The first ground, and the main ground, upon
which base my opposition to annexation is
that the population that would go with the
territory would be a together undesirable
There are thousands of cOoLe laborers who
would come, and we all know, by dearly
bought experience, that white labor cannot
compete with ii. The plantations. they saw
cannot be proftably conducted without coolie
labor and therefore there is no field on the
is lands for white man.
Now to govern and protect the islands would
be a constant burden upon the Federal Gov
ernment The revenue We would derive
would not be sufficient to meet the expense OF
government and the deficiency would neces-
sarily have 10 be made up by the already over.
burdened taxpayers of the United States.
d Our country is large enough now and think
that it would be we'll enough for us TO correct
the evils OF government here at home before
we take under our wing the Islands of the
Pacific where white laborer will be called
upon to com pete with Chinese and the lowest
character OF labor from otner quarters OF the
globe.
lam unqualifedly opposed to annextion.
J. D. BAILEY.
j Los Angeles, October 80. 1897.
All branches of labor are together in
their opposition to annexation. Those
hands at actual manual labor are just as
strong in their opposition as he work
man who digs in the sewer trench. The
following is prepared for The CALL by
II. P. Moore the secretary OF the Los An
coles Musical Association. VIII ca body is
affiliated with the Council OF Labor:
To the Editcr of The Cali: The workingmen
of the United States, who fully understand
the situation with regard to Hawaiian
nexalion should, in my judgment, oppose 1T
as one man The position taken by United
States Senator stephen Nj. mite consider 10
be absolu tel V @unaSSanaD!e -
F. II the islands are ever annexed we are tying
to the United States a population which can
only be injury and q detrlment to our
country, and l wantto tell you that working
men think more OF their country than they
are given credit Tor.
With the Hawaiian Islands part of the
United ates we throw open the doors TO over
80 900 coolic laborers. II all l lead is true as
to the conditions existing on the. islands. IL
will always be impossible for American labor
to find a field for its employment on the
islands. Therefore, If the annexed territory
offers no field for human endeavor at p oper
living recompense for such effort, what is the
necessity for annexaton-where is the glory
of our country 10 be enhanced or the profit Of
our citizens to be ADDED to by such action?
We have all the coolie labor in the United
States now that we care for. We need more
territory than we already have. What we
have now want 10 see properly governed,
and we have not altogether succeeded in that
as yet.
When we perfect our government h ere al
home then win 1t be time enough to COM
mence to annex the Islands OF the sea, but
until then | am In favor of confining Ell
forts TO the vast territory we now have, hall OF
which is undeveloped.
l heartily indorse the position of the Los
Angel les County Council OF Labor when II de-
clared against the annexation of Hawaii an
| think that labor organizations throughout
the United States can and should take similar
action.
A careful polling of the more prominent
representatives of organized la bor IN this
city fails to disclose one individual who is
in favor of the proposition to annex the
islands. The four opinions expressed by
the gentleman above are truly indicative
of the feeling and sentiment as it actually
exists to-day.
The Merchants and Manufacturers AS
ISOLATION OF this city has never directly ex-
pressed itself upon The question of anneXa-
ton. the bo ~ includes about every mer-
chant of any standing in the city and the
manufacturers as well. 1t is a conservative
BODY and it is a difficult matter to Sc
cure an opinion from il on a subject that
is not directly and admittedly properly
within its jurIsdictlon.
However, the Merchaut,' and Manu-
facturers Association of Los Angeles, by
a unanimous vote, some time ago, adopted
the following resolut ons as to the abroga-
tion Of the Hawaiian treaty:
WHEREAS. The treaty now In force between
the United States and the Hawaiian Islands
provides for the free entry into the United
States of raw sugar, to the great dctrlment OF
the bee;-sugar industry OF this country, wAlch
under suitable protection Will supply the en-
tire home market within the next lew years.
thus retaining millions OF dollars IN the
United States; and whereas. since the cX-
lstence of this treaty all goods bought by
Hawaiian firms have Deen OBJ aimed IN the
cheapest markets OF the world, without re-
gard 10 their obligations under this treaty;
therefore be it
Resoiued, That our representatives al Wash
ington be earnestly raquest ted 10 use their in
fluence for the abrogation Of said treaty.
The argument used By the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association for the
abrogation of the treaty applies with
equal force against annexation, and if the
question were TO come before that body
there is hui little doubt as to what posi-
! ton the association would take. 1t would
be against annexation.