The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-12-24
WASHINGTON
NOT FULLY
INFORMED
FactsAboutHaWaii
Not Known
There.
(From Saturdays daily.)

~ EOPLE in Washington are of opin-
ion that the labor situation in Ha-
4 wall should be relieved by the
bringing in of Europeans" said Mr. j
b. Anterior, last evening. Mr.. Ather-
ton returned in the Alameda last even
ing after a trip Of two months to the
East During his visit he spent several
days in Washington, though the prin-
cipal portion of his visit was made to
friends in Baltimore. Mr.. Atherton' was
one of the members of the party of Ha-
waiians who visited President IiooSe-
welt and afterward went about the va
rious departments. Commenting upon
the feeling there as to labor matters, he
continued:
There is a general lack of knowledge
in the capital of conditions here. Pres
ident Roosevelt wanted to know why
we did not get laborers who would be-
come citizens. We told him of the hun
dreds of thousands of dollars spent by
the planters to secure Portuguese, ItaI-
ian, Norwegian and other men to work
in the cane and how they went to CAL
iforna as soon as they got any money,
but the incident showed that no one
has any idea of the conditions here.
President Roosevelt. however, is anX-
ious to have information and seems
much interested in the islands.
There seems no doubt that the Chi
nese exclusion bill will pass but only
after a fight. There are members of
the House who would like to make a
fight but are afraid To go against the
labor unions. but the Senators are not
afraid. The labor unions, seeing that
they have such a hold, WI. Try AMI
make the bill include japanese ana all
Oriental races. This is certain To Gre
ate a great feeling against the bill and
may be the means of preventing action
for time after the close of the period
during which the bill is operative.
Should this be the effect ! believe the
Six Companies at san Francisco would
run into California many thousands OF
Chinese.
The labor situation in California Is
peculiar, too. 1t Is my opinion that Il
there were 10000 more Chinese
in California the next five years
would see advancement u
greater extent than any on
can imagine. The entire West Is II
need of laborers, but the unions hav
the power and will use 1t to proven
any incoming of Chinese. l could Sc
no indication that any exception woul
be made in favor If these Islands
However, the fact that the labor condi
lions here are such that We found
necessary to ask a concession ha
drawn attention To our matters and wi
result in an investigation.
Secretary Hitchcock is greatly inter
ested in Hawaiian matters, but | do no
know whether or not he will have tn
time to give much attention to Hawai-
From what | heard | am convinced tina
there will be an investigation of on
land matters before there is any legisla
ton in this relation.
Secretary Wilson told me that h
expects to come down here in tn
spring. He is very much interested i
Hawaii. He has great faith in the wor
which is being done by Jared Smith
and said that there would be niue
benefit result from it, He asked man
questions as to the agricultural poss
bilities and seemed To believe that
personal investigation would be {
great benefit to him in his dealing
with the islands.
although President Roosevelt toll
us that he thought the United State
owed il to Cuba to grant trade ConCes
sions, | believe there viii be nethe
annexation nor reciprocity. There is
strong feeling in Washington agans
this, and the Senate will fight any sue
treaty very hard.
Mr.. Edison promised us that If W
wanted new storage batteries for auto
mobiles he would give us the first out
fit from the factories after January Is
These We're to be guaranteed for sex
enty-five miles but owing TO the sue
cess Of the rapid transit r)ad an
other conditions We will not bring an
more autos here at present. In Ne
York the power most used is steam.
we had some hard weather 1t bC
came as cold as rs degrees in Baltimol
and We We're quite ready to come bac
to Hawaii. Both Mrs. Atherton and IL:
self returned in good health"