The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-12-28
PORTO RlCANS ARE
PUBLIC CHARGES
Conditions Wrought By the
Lying Examiner of San
Fran cisco.

the Porto Ricans who arrived In San
Francisco Friday in destitute condi-
ton. after having been prevailed upon
to refuse to go to the Hawaiian Is
lands to work on the sugar planta-
tions, We're taken to the Almshouse
yesterday. where they will receive tenn
iporary care a number of them had
been provided with temporary quar-
tiers at n lodging house on Steuart
street, while others had been given
beds in the prison at the Hall of Jus
tice. These were removed yesterday
morning and have become public
charges.
SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 1.-THE Tx
-aminer says: One of the influential
men in sugar plantation circles Is Lor-
rim A. Thurston, ex-Judge and ex-At-
torney- General of the Hawaiian Is
lands. In last Fridays Examiner was
published letter written by him. 1t
dealt with what he was pleased to
term the incorrect information" of
this paper on the subject of the Porto
Ricans who were being imported for
work on the sugar plantations of Ha-
wall In that letter Mr.. Thurston stat
ed that the Porto Ricans were to be
offered by r. a. MacFie, in behalf of
the Hawaiian planters, the following
inducements to leave their homes and
settle in Hawaii
Free massage to Hawaii for them
selves and families, 500 month wages
with free residence. fuel, water and
medical attendance for three years or
any portion thereof that they might
work. t.
Mr.. Thurston was seen at his home
in this city yesterday He said:
1T belong to the Hawaiian Sugar
Planters Association, as all the others
do: but am not an officer and do not
know any OF the details Of the particu-
lar transactions with these Porto Ri
cans What I do know has been set
forth in nv communication and the
men with whom the association dealt
would not do anything that was not
thoroughly straightforward Nothing
could be gained by misrepresentation
and had these Porto Ricans been left
alone and permitted to go aboard the
Rio they would be happier than they
are"
"Whv. when you learned that these
Porto Ricans We're distrustful of the
promises made them and could not rely
them in charge, was not some one sent
to them who could speak their Ian
euage and reassure them of the good
intentions of the association
To this question Mr.. Thurston re-
piled:
I'VE had informed them of what we
proposed to do before they left San
Juan and had no reason for expecting
that their minds would be poisoned to
the extent of doubling promises made
In perfect good faith. Furthermore
there was no obligation on us We
were ready in our own interests to car
nv these people safely to their destina-
ton and to give them all we promised,
and that meant better homes and bet
ter living than they were accustomed
to and better than the average laborer
in California enjoys We knew no rea-
son why they should be dissatisfied
with terms they had gladly accepted"
'"Do YOU know that they were prom
Used s25 apiece when they went aboard
the steamer at San Juan. proper cloth
ing to protect them in cooler climates
and good food?"
"As to the $25 apiece I know nothing
and can conceive no reason why such
money should be paid to any of them.
The food should have been good and
presume was. Clothes, too. no doubt
We're provided"
do you know that many of them
reached this city practically naked,
that the children wore a single gar
ment and that some of these people In
the earnestness of their distrust tried
to walk from Port Costa to oakland
and did walk ten miles in the fearful
storm?'
"rhat Is what the Examiner SAYS and
we are not to blame. We were ready
to put them aboard the steamer in the
proper way"
what are the planters going to do
with the Porto Ricans who are here
now"
az cannot answer that; I am not an
official of the association. We certain
ly need the labor there. We cannot
get the class of labor in this country.
and with the departure of Chinese and
the diminishing number of Japanese 1t
Is necessary to get people suited for the
work to take their places. None more
fit than these Porto Ricans can be Sc
cured, and they will be Just as happy,
probably happier than they We're In
Porto Rico. As for the men and wo-
men who have escaped. 7 do not know
what will be done v.itN 'ro~r r. - not
NV business to sneak for the assocla-
ton, The views expressed We're my
own, and the facts stated We're within
my knowledge. That Is all 7 have to
say and more than intended to say"
4 SWINDIINCi COUNT