Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-11-22
JAPANESE ENGRAVING.
Increasing Numbers in Hawaii, Brit
ism Columbia and the States.

Increasing Numbers in Hawaii, Brit
ism Columbia and the States.
Frank NJ. Todd in Ainslee's says
Although the movement of the Japan
csc eastward is newer and far less
numerically than the Chinese emigra-
ton, it is already attracting its share
Of attention, and the islanders seem
destined to inherit a 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 its people abroad, but has new.
err 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 reci-
procity treaty between Hawaii and the
United States in 1875, the sugar indus
try in the islands began to boor', and
there was sharp demand for labor
which the government was glad to
help by assisting contract immigra,
! ton. Some Polynesians and a great
many Portuguese were imported, but
the cost of getting Portuguese was
very great. sometimes running as higl
as $500 each. Whereas, it was discov
cred that laborers 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 a treaty was so
licited from the Japanese government
recognizing the rights of such importa.
ton. In that year 1852 men and 252
women were taken over In 1890
there were 1880 Japanese in Hawaii;
in 1896 there were 22,329, and in May
VI 1879 a NN'libCi NdllNO tblllDdlt DldCti
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
formation of the arrival of &c, 900 con
tract Japanese since July Z, 1893.
This would swell the total to too large
a 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 a month; that the
pay of laborer should be from $1z to
SIS month, with extra pay for over
time, and free house, frewood, medi-
cine and medical attendance in case OF
consist Of twenty-six ten-hour days;
that IL the man brought his wife she
should be employed at from $3.50 TO
$40 month, and that the laborer
should agree to work faithfully during
the term of his service.
"In American eyes the most obnox-
ious feature of this system was the law
whereby an employee deserving labor
as the violation of this contract was
called, could be tried and punished as
a criminal, 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 a good
deal OF an agitator. He is apt 10
preach discomfort. form unions and re-
sort to strikes. This makes him dan.
gerous in the sugar industry, as cane
must be cut and crushed promptly
when ready or the crop is 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 Fill Islands. The experiment was
not a success, as they could not stand
the climate
1.-THE acquisition by Japan Of Formo
sa and the Pescadores afforded some
thingof an outlet for population. Some
seven or eight years ago Viscouni
Yenomoto established 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 Jar
anese. seem TO have aoronounced. TEN ]
peramental afinity.