The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-24

two or three years from now. It al
ready amounts to &35, 900. 900. The great,
bulk of this trade is with San Fran
CISCO The number of vessels clearing
from San Francisco to Hawaiian ports
! is nearly as large as the number cleaI
ing for all foreign ports and IS rapidly
increasing. Many millions of dollars
worth Of Hawaiian stocks are owned
by San Franciscans and like amount
Iof Hawaiian securities are held by san
Francisco banks against loans and in
vestments made in Hawaii. In fact
the relations between Hawaii and San
Francisco are so close and intima;e
that damage TO Hawaiian prosperity
will mean serious injury TO San Fran
cisco interests as well.
/ The business expansion in Hawaii has
caused an increased demand for labor.
Annexation has cut off the supp from
China. More Japanese are leaving than
coming to Hawaii, while immigration
from Portugal is now prevented bv the
United States laws against assisted i'm
migration. These have heretofore beer
the principal sources OF Ha %siiiar labor
supply.
The Hawaiian planters hare been and
are complying strictly with American
limmigra ton laws and are ln good faith
attempting to recruit laboTers in the
United States. Prosperous tinlcs and
high wages have rendered this extreme.
ly difficult.
The large surplus population in Porte
; Rico. the hard times there growing ou
Of the hurricane and the war and th'
! similarity OF the climate with that c
Hawaii drew attention to Porto Rico.
: General Davis. late Governor Of Port
, Rico. was communicated with anC
= heartily approved Of the suggestion Z
recruit laborers for Hawaii in Port
Rico In the interest OF the Porto RIcan
, themselves. Since his appointment;
D Governor Allen has also been consuite
D and expressed a like opinion.
!. committee consisting of s. T. Alex
Z ander OF the firm OF Alexander & Bald
: win OF this city and W. y. Armstronc
Q formerly Attorney General OF HawG
= and recently editor OF the Honolulu
n Advertiser, was sent to Porto Rico I
2 investigate. They reported IN favor :
X both the character Of the laborers ar
q their availability. They met in Port
% Rico r. A. MacFie, the owner and mar
d ager OF a sugar plantation there. NJ
Y MacFie was for a number Of years
E. plantation owner and manager In II
/ wall. he there owning the Kilauea plaI
! itation. He is man OF education.
y. independent means and high characte
y Entertaining n regard for his old hon
and former business associates. he o
q fered to supervise the recruiting OF u
=. Iaborers in Porto Rico and his offer ";
l. gladly accepted as an assurance tn
= the selection of people would be gee
g and the entire enterprise proper
d handled He was authorized by Il
Hawaiian planters to offer the PCr
70 Ricans free passage to Hawaii Il
" themselves and families: $50 a mori
> wages. with free residence, fuel, wat
l. and medical attendance for three year
10 or any portion thereof that they mig
% work. This offer was made by him ar
" approximately a hundred men, wom'
Y and children are now on their way
Hawaii as a trial lot. There Is no re
< son 70 believe. and every reason not
ne believe, that Mr.. MaeFie has made al
n Misrepresentation TO these people
70 made them any promises which q
h. Hawaiian planters viii not carry out
e. the letter. II would be folly TO rnisre
in iresent or promise more than would