The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-04-02
Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald
Visits Honolulu
IEQUlRIKG INTO LABOR QUESTION
What the Bureau Has
Done in California.
Japanese Farm Hands Replaced
by White Men-Employment Blu
reau Under State Control.

"The demand for cheap labor by the
sugar capitalists of Hawaii began when
their desire for fat dividends took the
place of sound judgment. The reci-
procity treaty which placed the Hawai-
ian planters on the same footing with
the American producer, and gave them
benefits not enjoyed by producers in
other countries, practically made these
islands, from a money making stand
point, a part of the United States
Some men were far seeing enough to
believe that the reciprocity treaty was
the first step toward anneXation-clos-
er political or commercial union to the
United States. To the owners of sugar
stock it was merely the step to fatter
and more frequent dividends. With
this accomplished, the question then
was, how to make them fatter. The
solution of the problem was in cheap
Asiatic labor, and the seed was plant
ed Today the white merchants and
mechanics on the Islands are Teaping
what the planters sowed, and Hawaii
is now experiencing the incipient
throes of race agitation, which if not
nipped in the bud, must result in the
supremacy of the Japanese race. No
attempt has been made by the users of
labor to provide for white men in Ha-
wall; nothing has been done to offset
this tremendous flow of Japanese i'm
migration and let it continue, and by
force of numbers they will demand the
franchise and get it. They will elect
their representatives and their presi-
dent, and without the stroke of a pen
Hawaii will become a colony of Japan"
The above is an extract from letter
received yesterday by a Honolulu bust
ness man, in answer to one he sent to
a gentleman in Washington, D. c. It
is incorporated here for its appropri-
ateness to the visit of Labor Commits
siOner Fitzgerald to Honolulu at this
time. This gentleman has had more
to do with white labor in California
than any man in that State. Mr.. Fitz-
gerald came here with his secretary.
Mr.. Greene. for recreation and with a
view to ascertaining for his personal
satisfaction and possibly report to the
Governor of California the possible
opening for the overflow laboring class
in that State. Mr. Fitzgerald was seen
by a reporter for the Advertiser yes
terday. and said. in reply TO the ques-
ton regarding his mission:
'"fhere has been a great deal said
regarding the climatic conditions of
Hawaii forbidding white men from
working in the cane fields, and the
opinion prevails in California, and I
guess throughout the United States,
op,opu +boca 1-bo dicoucc opDovo+;oT
that the consummation of such a treaty
means the taking over of 10000 Ash
atics. As we are doing all we can to
replace Asiatics by white labor, the
thought of taking on more through
another source does not meet with ap-
prevail I came here on n visit. and
while in the Islands, I will ascertain
what amount and the kind of labor is
performed by the japanese and com
pare it with the same class of labor
performed by white men.
''My department in California is nat
urally a large one on account of the
enormous floating population of labor
ing men. Practically, it is an employ
ment Office with the State behind it.
We receive applications from laboring
men out of employment, and by that /
do not mean every man who is poor
because not all the poor are laborers,
they might as well call themselves
bankers or anything else Every man
out of work is not laboTer We give
each applicant the privilege of remain
ing in the Office for two weeks, and If
he does not get employment in that
time, it is because he is unfit. Men who
-,
without giving satisfactory reasons for
leaving the place we provide for them,
are refused, and when they persistent
~ hang around the Office, the police de-
partment takes care of them as va
grants.
Ours is not play house; of that
you may depend. The department was
established for the purpose of regulat-
ing the laboring class in California.
and we rule with an iron hand. In
this way we command the respect, and
have the support of the laboring
classes. They do not want to support
drones, neither does the department
wish to assist them. When 1
was asked by Governor Budd to as
sumo charge of the department, con-
sented to take the place for three
months. At that time we were feeling
the effect of the influx of japanese,
and they were taking work away from
the white people. During the two
years / have held the Office of Labor
Commissioner / have had the pleasure
of seeing more than 1,500 japanese
surrender their places in the fields to
white men.
Il do not know that the same trans
formation can take place here; 1 will
learn the conditions before giving an
opinion. I have been told that white
men cannot work in the cane fields on
account of the heat. / want to be sure
of it before giving an opinion If l
am convinced in my own mind that
they cannot. I will promptly say so.
If, on the contrary, am convinced
that they can, will gladly report on
it, because the introduction of white
labor in these Islands will be pretty
close to their salvation.
From what have read, I am salts