The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-12-23
INJURING HAWAII.

The charges against the arbitrary
way in which the Porto Ricans. de-
stined for labor in the cane fields OF
Hawaii. have been deceived and ILL.,
treated in the attempt to inveigle
them to come TO Hawaii may not De
pleasing to some people in this Ter
ritory but there is no doubt OF their
truth. As said by this paper yester-
day morning, such methods of trying
90 secure laborers will work great
harm 10 Hawaii and to all her people.
Deception and deceit accomplish their
own ruin and such methods employed
to secure laborers will accomplish the
ruin OF the leading industry of these
islands. All know that labor is badly
needed but let il be secured honestly
and by fair methods.
II everything was all right and no
deception. not to say kidnapping. had
been practiced in securing these Por-
to Ricans why was ii necessary TO
hold them at desert stations along the
Southern Pacific Railroad instead of
bringing them through to San Fran
csco ready to embark on the steamer
or laying their train out at stations
where some sort of sanitary condi-
tons existed. The journey from New
Orleans to San Francisco on the or
binary tourist sleeper occupies few
Ricans were fourteen days on the
way. Following their departure from
New Orleans on December End. they
were carried as far as Sanderson.
Texas. desert station in the western
part of the state. where they were
held two days and an attempt 20
break away from the train was over.
awed by guards armed with Winches-
ter rifles.
Following this attempted outbreak
the Porto Ricans were carried by
slow train to lndio, California a sta
tion on the borders of the famed Colo
RADIO desert and situated on the edge
of that great sink just at sea level
They arrived there the night OF De
cember Sth and the night of Decem-
Der 18th they were started towards
San Francisco. being held at Ind,o
until the train taking them from there
weuld have TO make flyer" time 20
get them into San Francisco and onto
tug to be transferred to the Rio
after the steamer had pulled into the
stream. II all was right, if they were
coming here from choice and OF their
own free will, why was all this
secrecy and chicanery necessary IN
getting them through the state of
California and aboard the Rio7
AS will be seen by the account of
the condition of these people.from the |
Los Angeles Times. published in an
other column. paper by the way
which is neither lurid nor yellow.
even the railroad people became
ashamed of the manner in which the
agents were trying TO transport these |
people across the continent and gave
them a third car AT some place IN |
Texas. But this was not done until |
after two of the women had given |
birth TO children. Think Of 1I2 peo- |
pie being crowded into two third |
class passenger coaches. The tour
list sleeper patronized by Americans in
trsnscontinental trips is palace on
wheels compared to these third-class
emigrant cars. The palace stock cars
used on the western roads for the
transportation of blooded stock are
much superior to them. II ANYTHING
could approach slavery more nearly
than this and yet escape by tech.
nicality we would like to learn what
II is.
There would be no trouble in secur.
ing thousand Of white lahorers from
the agricultural states OF the west IL
the wages were made commensurate.
So long as plantations are run in the
interests OF the factors and agents in
stead OF the full body OF the stock
holders just so long viii exhorbitant
dividends be demanded which will
only permit OF the very cheapest and
most dehased labor. Let the planters
and others interested In securing la
Dor for Hawaii take the motto Of Pres
ident Mckinley and put the man
above the dollar. Do this and the la
Dor question in Hawaii will very soon
solve itself