The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-16

imported.
Mr. Hale. And are there now?
Mr.. petugrew. And are there now.
When a case was brought In the courts
OF Hawaii in which the parties were
convicted 10 imprisonment until they
should 90 back 90 the service 20 which
they had been assigned, this supreme
court that has been boastcd OF 80 much
decided that the Constitution OF the
United States did not 20 with the dag
and that therefore these convictions
and sentences TO imprisonment were
good and should hold. that these con-
tracts for services were not penal hut
civil contracts, and that under them a
man could be imprisoned FOR life N he
did not willingly return 20 the seTy-
See which he had abandoned
Mr. Plat OF Connecticut That Il
was a civil remedy.
Mr.. Petigrew. Yes. sir: that 10 was
a civil remedy. ] propose now TO ask
10 have the Secretary read the follow
ing clippings. one from the Hawaiian
Star and the other from the Pacific Ad-
vertiser, showing the ships and the
number OF contract laborers that have
been imported. and then 1 will show
what kind OF service tnis Is that they
have been imposing In that country.
The President pro tempore. The
Secretary will read as requested.
The Secretary read the clippings
Mr. Pettigrew. According TO these
statements. up TO the 3lst OF December
last 80. 1000 Asiatics have been import
ed TO these islands as contract or slave
laborers, and they are still there.
understand that very many more have
been imported during tne months of
January and February. and that they
are importing them az about the rate
OF 5000 a month. When these emil
grants reach Honolulu they are diE-
tributed from that point throughout
the plantations of the islands; they
are assigned by the companies who inn
port them 20 the different planters
with whom they have made contracts.
| Under these contracts. IN the labOrer
/ refuses 10 toll ne Is arrested. and II he
refuses 90 go back 90 service he is sen
tenced TO Imprisonment and confined
! at hard labor until he viii consent 10
return 20 the service. lie is fined for
/ the cost OF his arrest, and that is dock
ed from his pay. There Is a system of
\ docking AZ a laborer rs too slow 20
suit his taskmaster. II D. the custom
upon plantations 10 whip the labOrers.
/ 20 knock them down. pound them with
clubs. and 10 abuse them In almost any
manner that suits the whim or pleas
| ure OF the Ovorseer.
Mr.. Gaiinger. VIII the Senator from
South Dakota permit a question?
Mr.. Pettlgrsw. / will.
Mr.. Gallinger. ! am very much in
terested In this phase OF the Hrgalian
matter, and unless ] am converted 90.
/ the contrary ] shall vote for the Sen
atOrs amendment. / want TO ask the
Senator if these contract labOrers who
seem TO- be coming 10 Hawaii In such
/ large numbers displace other labOrers
/ I'm the islands. In other words. if they
were not brought there o. the supply
OF labOrers sufficient 60 meet the re-
quiremCnts OF the isiands2 know
nothing about 10 and would like 10 OBJ
tain Information.
Mr.. Pettigrew. ! presume. Mr.. Pres
ident. that in a measure they displace
I day laborers. and that an additional
number is also needed 90 help take the
place OF those who returned TO Asia.
their contracts having expired. They
are also needed 10 open up new planta-
Itions. For instance. when the anneNa-
ton OF Hawaii was talked OF. We were
told 10 was the best coffee country In
the world. and that great coffee plan
tatiOns would be opened upon the an
nCXati0n OF that country 20 the United
States. But there Is no duty on coffee
from any country 90 the United States.
while We have levied a duty Of almost
2 cents pound upon sugar.
The result is that since annexation
the sugar business. whlch is exceeding
ly profitable. has taken the place Of the
coffee business. and we no longer hear
81 I'D. % #a.
but they are pl0Wing up the coffee
plantations and putting them into su-
gar. In fact. the profits OF raising su-
gar are enormous under the bonus We
give In the way OF a remission OF du-
ties % the sugar planters ~ Hawaii,
amounting this year 90 nearly $4,000
600. which We would collect upon a
like amount of sugar from any other
country. This enormous bonus goes 20
a few planters who have absorbed all
the land OF that country and who pay
the most moager wages tO the slave
labor which is employed 20 raise the
sugar
Mr.. GalIlnger. VIII the Senator
permit an Interruption
Mr. Pettigrew. ! Will
Mr.. Gallinnsr. I was interested
when the Porto Rican bill was under
consideration in the committee Of
which I chance ID be member 20 learn
the fact that IH Porto Rico they only
produce ff.u one 20 two tons of sugar
per acre. while in Hawaii they pro
due from SIX 90 eleven tons per acre.
that is very productive sugar land:
perhaps tire most productive IN the
world. I want 90 ask the Senator whO
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