The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-26
MUST HAVE
LAB0RERS
Roden!berg Tells Of
Needs of the
Islands.
WHY CHINESE
ARE FAVORED
Civil Service Commissioner En-
thusiastic Over Hawaii's Plan.
tation Prospects.
IVY YAsH1NGToN, July 2s.-Mr. w.

" A. Rodenberg, United States
civil service commissioner,
reached Washington this morning from
East st. Louis, ILL.,, where he stopped
a few days en- route from Honolulu.
Mr.. Rodenberg has been in the Islands
for nearly five weeks. During that pc
| riod he introduced the civil service sys-
tenn in the islands, and conducted ex-
aminations at which there were 110 ap-
plicants, a goodly portion of whom
were natives. Most of the applicants
were examined for entrance into the
customs and postal service. Before
leaving the Islands the commissioner
appointed board of examiners at Ho-
nolulu, and custodian board at Hilo
Mr.. Rodenberg speaks enthusiastical-
| ly of conditions on the islands and of
the future possibilities they possess He
says that now the greatest problem
there is that of securing desirable la
Dor. Up to the time when the islands
became part of the United States. no
such problem was presented. because
of the ability of the planters to import
Chinese labor. When the United States
acquired the islands the Chinese exclu-
sion act was extended to the islands.
For time this did not affect the local
labor situation, as the number of Chi
nese on the islands was sufficient to
meet the requirements of the big sugar
planters.
With the increasing possibilities
which connection with the United
States offered to the islands, the sugar
planters sought to extend the acreage
| of their plantations. The supply of
Chinese labor was soon exhausted. Ex-
periments were made in several direc-
| tions. Laborers were imported from
Japan, from Portugal and lastly Porto
Rico The Porto Ricans were brought
| to the islands at great expense, and
great care was exercised in their selec-
| tions. In spite of this it was found
| that they are too slow and Indifferent,
| II not positively lazy.
| Mr.. Rodenberg says that this was
the condition when he reached the ISL
ands a few weeks ago. He found the
sugar planters discussing ways and
| means for meeting the labor problem.
They, seem to be confronted with the
condition that only Chinese labor will
| meet the necessities of the peculiar
| work which they desire performed A
bare possibility exists that a portion of
| the desired labor can be secured from
| the Philippine islands The planters
hope to secure the permission of the
government to an experiment In this
direction. They have little hope, now
lever, In the present labor famine being
met with other than Chinese iaborery.
| The planters do not desire to import
Cinnamon In great numbers, nor Is
there sentiment in the Islands In
favor, of taking down the bars alto
gether to Chinese immigrants.
The planters have about decided TO
ask at the hands of the next Congress-
an amendment to the Chinese exclu-
sion act which will permit of the I'M
portation of such a number Of Chinese
as will be needed for work on the SUI
gar plantations. The planters are will
| ing that the amendment shall carry re-
strictions which will prevent the Chi
inese from coming to the United States
from Hawaii. They do not object to
the condition being made tnat the Chi
namen shall be employed solely In ag-
riculturai pursuits. They will give
| bond, il the law requires, for the re-
| turn of the Chinese laborers to China
after a period Of ten years.
| The planters told Commissioner Ro-
denberg that the Chinese would in no
way come into competition with white
labor. White and black labor from the
United States had been tried, put It
was found that they could not stand
! the work in the fields. The fields were
left but partially developed because Of
the provisions of the exclusion acr and
i the laws against importing contract
| labor Mr.. Rodenberg believes that the
Hawaiian planters will inaugurate a
movement during the next session OF
Congress which. will result in some
concessions being made them The
terms of the Chinese exclusion act viii
expire by limitation next year. so the
next Congress will have TO deal with
| the question. The planters Of Hawaii
believe that Congress will re-enact the
terms of the law, and they hope the
| time will be opportune for securing
concessions for the Islands.
Mr. Rodenberg is enthusiastic on all
that pertains to the Islands. He says
a trip to the Islands viii convince any
one OF the wisdom of the Republican
party's policy of expansion. He de-
scribes the Islands as the Paradise OF
the Pacific" and says that the won
derful possibilities Of development