The San Francisco call., 1899-09-05

Gently fallen into our possession.
The extended statements made by all classes OF lead
ing people in Hawaii which appeared in The Call last
week, vivid revelation OF the condition OF pub
lie opinion in the islands regarding their future gov
ernment With inconsiderable exceptions the prefer
ence is declared to be for Territorial government as
novitiate for complete statehood. II IS generally
agreed that the penal clause in labor contracts IS OF
fensve and should be abolished. There IS evidence
that this is meant by all who speak OF those contracts,
and the opinion seems TO be entertained
that abolshing that clause viii put the contract sys-
line with our laws Ii this Is error. The
labor contract law passed in 1864 had penal clause
but provided first lien upon the real and personal
property OF the laborer TO pay the cost OF his
Importation The whole law was finally repealed and
substituted by statute orbiddng the importation OF
labor under any form OF contract The civil lien in the
law OF 1864 was the analogue OF the penal clause in the
Hawaiian contract Il was the means OF enforcing
the contract.
As to the future OF labor in Hawaii the interviews
present the issue in form that will be found OF great
interest Inasmuch as the United States and es
pecaly the Atlantic seaboard States and interior, get
their labor from Europe by immigration is held
that the islands should get theirs from Asia. For its
immediate source Japan and the Philippines pre-
ferred This position has decided strength derived
from the current cult that Atlantic coast faces
Europe and has there its trade and thence derives its
immigration and labor, so the Pacific Coast facing
Asia and expecting its trade from there, should
thence derive its labor This view is applied to the
Pacific islands, whose people declare that they have
no other source from which recruit the only form
OF labor that can be used in their industries 1t is
natural and reasonable that such expectations shall
go with the expansion and commercial policies
uppermost in the minds OF this side OF the
continent
The opinion is generally expressed on the islands
and it is not by any contradicted, that white men
not work in the leading industries OF Hawaii
OF the climate The productions OF the islands
tropical and the labor that produces them must
be immune to the climate in which they flourish.
The interviews betray feeling OF unrest at the
anonymous form OF government now in existence.
Some rasping complaints are made against the per
sonne OF that government, and some demands are
made that none OF its members be recognized in the
oficiary OF the government to come.
The Call has now spread this information OF the
opinions and aspirations OF Hawaii before the Ameri-
can public. Already it to have impressed the
President who is reported to have declared for the
Territorial form OF government. Public opinion,
guided by this information will be crystalzed against
the time OF action by Congress
Objections 10 putting the islands in line for state
hood will arise in the fact that it will become prece-
dent Tor the Philippines. Already the President
speaks OF a Philippine government for their period
OF transition" While it is true that every argument
made for statehood to Hawaii will apply to the Phil
ppines it is also that there is widespread aver
sion to statehood for the Philippines and citizenship
for the Filipnos. 1t will be regarded as an attempt
to put the whole expansion policy in line with our
constitution, which contemplates no other extension
OF our area except by the admission OF new States
into the Union The population OF the greater part OF
the Philippines especially on Luzon, Panay Negros
and Cebu is well qualified by civilization citizen
ship, Christianity and education, for the duties OF
statehood as that OF Hawaii This is not intended for
a certificate the fitness Of either But the prin-
cple OF civil equality throughout our jurisdiction is
believed to be the only one that perpetuate the
republic.
The British colonial system which has been studied
by our statesmen for application to torrid posses
sions. is in accord with the British constitution but |
not with and is probable that the demand will
increase for preference for Our institutions
rather than for those OF Great Britain. In its final
analysis this will that hold no terri
tory that be adapted system and receive
no people that cannot by reason OF race, assnilate
with us This is the OF the whole issue. At the
root OF it lie the differences in physical conditions
In these germnate the industrial problems which !
penetrate the whole subject Ii our labor laws, con-
tropics make profitable production there impossible
possessions in the torrid will bring profit
This, as We have heretofore shown, is the growing
shadow upon tropical ownership by Great Britain.
The most profitable labor system in the tropics is
chatte slavery the is servile labor under penal
contracts the last is free labor under the eight hour
law and the American scale of wages. Great Britain
forbids chatte slavery but promotes servle labor un
der penal forms.
We have no doubt that if labor laws and system
and wages are extended to Hawaii production will be
curaled and its profits will cease and the prosperity
OF the islands will follow the downward course
that has made OF Jamaica industrial wilderness
There is, then, rrepressble conflict between the
principles OF constitution and the interests OF |
those whose profits depend upon a labor system |
suited to the torrd zone.
The revolution in San Domingo having ended in |
his favor General Jimenes leave his Cuban seclu-