The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-27

uese Employed Because White
Lsborers Cannot BE Had-No
White Laborer Refused Work.
Presidents Hill and Meilen and Director
J. s. Kennedy, Of the transcontinental
lines, who have been here for the past
three days endeavoring to reach settle
ment of the terminal question in this city.
in which both roads are involved, left
for the East yesterday afternoon. Mr.,
HIN will be a member of the party over
the Northern Pacific as far as Spokane,
where he will stop to make an inspection,
while Mr.. Mellen and Mr.. Kennedy pro-
coed 10 st. Paul. Mr.. Hill expects to ar
rive home a day later than the Northern
Pacific party. Before leaving both execu-
tives expressed the belief that solution of
the terminal and union depot question
was In sight, and while some large nego-
tiations still have to be made II Is the
conclusion of both that all will come out
satisfactorily in the end.
While here. Notwithstanding the fact
that almost all of their time was taken
up by the question involved each found
a few moments to give attention TO the
alien labor question that so much is be-
ing made OF by the Democratic press. and
both men characterize IL as a deceptive
effort to secure the labor vote at the
coming election.
Both Mr.. Mellen and Mr. Hill are en-
phatic in their declarations that the
charges now being made by this class OF
publications. so far as the transcontinent-
al lines are concerned in the matter are
entirely unwarranted and untrue. Not
only have these roads not been guilty OF
a violation of the alien law. but the heads
OF the systems declare they have not
been guilty of employing an alien of any
nationality where IL has been possible to
obtain an American white laborer. Both
lines at the present time have aliens at
work for the reason IL Is said. that It is
a matter of impossibility to get a sum
Client number of American laborers to per-
form the amount of daily work that must
be accomplished
MIR. Hin Talks.
This alien labor talk that at the pres
ent time is being INDUCED In by some
OF the papers on the Pacific coast is the
worst kind of rot" said Mr.. Hin in an
interview given at the breakfast table in
the Butler grin room yesterday morning.
while the papers that are now engaged
In making the charges against the west
ern lines may think they are dispensing
good campaign talk they are not dealing
with facts. SO far as the Great Northern
IL concerned / can say to you we have
United States under contract to go to
work for as and never expect TO. 1t is
true that at the present time we have
on the Great Northern system a good
number OF Japanese lahorers. but the rea-
son why they are there is that. although
we have spent large sums of money to get
white laborers, we have not been able
to secure nearly as many as we have
needed. We have paid good wages and
have offered every white man we could
IND an opportunity to go TO work but
for the reason that employment has been
so easy TO get they have not remained
with us.
Free Fares for white Laborcrs.
Now. let me tell you something, to
show you that we have done our part to
have the work of the Great Northern done
by white men. During the year that is
now drawing to close we have carried
over our line on free fares over 1900
white men from the eastern division OF the
line TO work on the central and western
divisions notwithstanding this we have
not now and have not had within the
past year over 200 white laborerS M
work at any one time and not over five
per cent of the number we have carried
free have remained with us ana but
slightly increased percentage have even
gone TO work at all Had we not rosorted
to the employment Of the alien laborer
now IN the country, We would not have
had enough men to do the work that had
TO be done.
There are two kinds of white labor In
this country. One kind is willing to work
ana the other viii not work at all and
the class that Is idle at the present time
Is the latter As | said before we have
not imported man OF any nationality to
work on the Great Northern system. but
have taken those We now have because
We were forced To. We have found the
japanese clean. faithful and respectful
workmen and have no complaint TO make
regarding him.
II 90 not think that there is the slight
est danger ot the aliens now IN the West
cutting any hEure In labor circles There
are not enough 0f them | can say this
however, that Il there were more white
men out Of work and who were willing
To 80 90 work there would be fewer aliens
employed on all railroads IN the West
Labor Not Affected.
The reason I say DO not think the
aliens now here viii affect labor Is that
this Western country Is growing very fast
and II takes an immense number ~ men
60 ail the changes that are occurring ai-
most every DAY. These mon must come
from somewhere and u there Is nos a sur
ucicnt number Of white men who are
OUT ~ work. then the railroads must get
help from others.
The situation IL Just this. II Is no
adyaniaee 70 she Western states for the
railroads 10 carFs out 60 this country "A
l9t ~ hoauuE hohees such as many ~
the Idle class AZ he present tfyne go ~
called We are thoroughly convinced
81 this ans from nov on WIN marry no
mere ~ them free. We Nlll carry colo.
uists 10 me West a. low fare even II
Il has 30 oe done without profit. for ~
feel That there VII be more % rails eiass
APT 10 ~ 60 work than - the ciass That
rides out on g ffve trsiB and Jumps On
just before be reaches the naiut where
Do q 90 40 90 woFN- or n he does =,
there may or not BE- sin his labor
Then there Is another thine about this
lele waite class We cannot maze q cone
tract "en them or 90 any alng else with
them. Many ot them arr frfssanar.ta