Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-11-19
JAPANESE ENGRAVING.


ish Columbia and the States.
Frank M. Todd in Ainslee's says:
Although the movement of the Japan
csc eastward is newer and far less
than the Chinese emigra-
ton, it is already attracting it's share
of attention, and the islanders seem
destined to inherit part of the an
tipathy stirred up by their neighbors
from the continent. The voice of labor
has been raised against them, and the
president has been sending commits
sioners to the Pacific coast to investi-
gate the effect of their presence on
wages.
"The population of Japan has in
creased twenty-five per cent. in the
last twenty-five years, or while Eng
lands population was increasing sew
en-. The government is anxious TO
colonize it's people abroad, but has new
er favored doing it by the coolie labor
system. The first considerable east
ward movement of Japanese, however,
was somewhat of that character.
''After the ratification Of the reel
procity treaty between Hawaii and the
United States in 1875, the sugar indus
try in the islands began to boom, and
there was a sharp demand for labor
which the government was glad to
help by assisting contract immigra-
ton Some Polynesians and a great
many Portuguese we're imported, but
the cost Of getting Portuguese was
very great, sometimes running as high
as $400 each. Whereas, it was discov-
cred that Iaborers could be brought
from Japan at total cost of eighty
seven dollars, sixty of which they re-
turned.
'The immigration Of the Japanese
began in 1886, when treaty was so
licited from the Japanese government
recognizing the rights Of such importa
ton. In that year LISP men and 252
women were taken over. In 1890
there were 1880 Japanese in Hawaii;
in 1896 there were 22,329, and in May
of 1899 a conservative estimate placed
the number at 10000. Exactly how
many are there now it is impossible to
say Annexation fastened their com
ing, in anticipation of the extension OF
the immigration laws to the new ter
ritory, and in his report for last year
the commissioner general of immigra-
ton said he had received unofficial in
fomation of the arrival of 10000 con
tract Japanese since July z, 1898.
This would swell the total to too large
figure. Thirty thousand year ago
is probably nearer the truth.
Most of the contracts provided that
the passage money should be advanced
by the employer and repaid at the rate
of one or two dollars month; that the
pay Of a laborer should be from S12 to
SIS a month, with extra pay for over
time, and free house, f1rewOod, medi-
cine and medical attendance in case OF
sickness, and that month should
consist Of twenty-six ten-hour days;
that if the man brought his wife she
should be employed at from $3.50 to
$40 a month, and that the laborer
should agree to work faithfully during
the term of his service.
"Tn American eyes the most obnox-
ious feature of this system was the law
whereby an employe deserving labor
as the violation of this contract was
called, could be tried and punished as
a criminal a feature that has only re-
Gently been abolished under American
rule.
"Of late, Japanese labor in the isl
ands is assuming phase unsatisfac.
tory to the employers. Compared with
the placid Chinaman, the Jap is good
deal of an agitator. He is apt 10
preach discomfort, form unions and re-
sort to strikes. This makes him dan
must be cut and crushed promptly
when ready or the crop is a loss, and
the planters have begun to turn to-
ward the Portuguese again. On the
first of July last two of them left Homo
lulu for New Orleans to enlist negroes.
''In 1894 or 1895 several hundred
Japanese laborers were imported into
the Fiji Islands. The experiment was
not a success, as they could not stand
the climate.
'"The acquisition by Japan of Formo-
sa and the Pescadores afforded some
thingof an outlet for population. Some
seven or eight years ago Viscount
Yenomoto established q Japanese col !
ony in the state of Chiapas, Mexico.
The Jap does well in Mexico. The
government is glad TO have him come,
andt he two peoples, Mexican and Jap
anese, seem to have a pronounced tenn
peramental affinity.