The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-08
HAWAIIAN LA6OR.


N an interview on the wide open coolie and con-
tract labor policy in Hawaii Senator Perkins de-
clares that his act to prevent the importation OF
coolies would have passed the Senate except Tor an
objection interposed by Senator Morgan OF Alabama
Senator Perkins, therefore, charges Morgan with the
responsibility OF permitting the violation OF every
promise that was made the American people by Inc
annexation crowd 1t will be remembered that every
organ of annexation insisted that under the JOINT reSo
luton of Congress, which effected the union ol
Hawaii to this country, contract labor would De I'M
possible and coolies could not enter the islands Inc
Call at that time pointed out the falacy OF this state
ment and predicted just what has happened Nearly
1000 coolies have been imported under penal con-
tracts and an energetic effort has been made to get
Italians and Portuguese under the form OF con-
tract Between coolie contract labor IN Hawaii as
now existing under o4r flag and jurisdiction, and
slave labor in the South before the Civil War, II
there be any difference is in favor OF the slave Ia
Dor as far as the condition OF the individual is con-
cerned.
There has been talk in Honolulu of converting the
Island Legislature repeal the penal clause in the
labor contract laws 1t will be remembered that while
annexation was before Congress bill to effect this
repeal was introduced in the Hawaiian Legislature,
and the annexation agents from the islands and the
American newspapers they had bribed gave the most
Millions of Americans read this promise and believe
even now that it was carried out but it was not nor
will it be until the people of this country force these
manipulators to keep faith.
The statement by Senator Perkins is OF first mpor-
because fixes responsibility for this condition
of things Senator Morgan tried in vain to dictate
foreign policy to Mr.. Cleveland and, failing, turned
and fought the administration OF his own party with
reckless disregard for truth and for the decences OF
official life that furnished throughout the world the
reputation OF public life in this republic. He has
wrought ceaseessy to impose his fantastic ideas OF
foreign policy upon President McKinley's admins
tration and good Republicans have omitted any ex-
preston of pleasure at seeing the counsel OF men like
Senator Hoar and ex-senator Edmunds rejected
while Morgan made himself mouthpiece OF an ad-
ninistration of which he is the natural political
enemy.
Morgan's party in the campaign next year will at
tack the Republicans upon the very policy which he
tried to force upon Cleveland, and it is well to bear
in mind the origin OF that policy.
President Mckinley sent Morgan as a Commits
soner to Honolulu to make an examination OF the
status in the islands and report code to Congress
for the government OF that country This work was
supposed to be done and at any paid for by
the American taxpayers. 1t was expected by Arnerl-
can employers that the employers OF labor in the
equality with them 1t was also expected by Ameri-
can Iaborer that their wages and their hours OF labor
would not be imperiled by coolie contract competition
in Hawaii And by the whole people 1t was expected
that the solemn promises made by the annexatlonsts
would be kept. But every Of these expectations
has been disappointed. Every promise has been bra
zenly violated, and Senator Perkins states publicly
that Senator Morgan is responsible, and the people
believe him. The Democracy of California made
ribboned OK out of Morgan when he was here Their
official and personal attentions to him of the
highest order. His leadership hailed in voices
scented by every variety of spirits used to keep
party courage, from steam beer to Mumm. He es-
pecia1ly delighted them by and rbald abuse of
Cleveland Now it appears that instead OF going
Hawaii to do his duty to the Republican admlnlstra-
ton which honored him. and to the people who paid
him. he went to consult the island tricksters and to
concert ways and for maintaining servile labor
there to the damage of American work1nen, and re-
turned to deceive the President who sent him by i'm
peding the performance OF promises for which the
administration was responsible The Republican
party remembering the words of Lincoln insists
upon equality before the law for everybody within the
jurisdiction of the United States
When Great Britain abolished slavery Freedom
touched with her emancipatng chrism every foot OF
British soil 1t became and has remained the boast
of British statesmen that the genius of universal
emancipation spread her wings over the empire, and
when the foot of a slave touched that soil his chains
fell off and his bonds were broken.
Among the other national shames that upon
shall we have to blush for the betrayal of American
labor and denial to it of universal equality before the
law wherever the flag floats? That is the position in
which the Morgan policy has put u.s. Will not the
leaders of the Republican party extricate from the
control of this Alabaman Mokanna?