The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-04
PORTO R|CANS
on TIE MOVE:
More Coming to
Hawaii to
Labor.
SHIPPING TO
MANY COUNTRIES
Heavy Emigration is Considered
Blessing to the
Island.

The surplus labor population of Porto
Rico is being gradually but perma-
nently lessened by emigration, says
the Washington Star. During the past
few months over 1900 men, women and
children have left for Hawaii, and if the
Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association
does not cancel it's order with the local
agents, and if too much opposition is
not raised here, about 5000 more will
| be sent to the far-away Islands.
The local agents have been consider
ably handicapped by the publication of
numerous scare stories in the local
Spanish papers. These stories are writ
ten and circulated by a certain ele-
ment. which, for one reason or another,
| is opposed to emigration. BY means of
newspapers and handbills which have
| been distributed in the districts from
(which the emigrants are recruited the
Ignorant would-be emigrants are led to
| believe that they are being sold into
slavery and that their masters will sub
lject them to all manner of torture and
cruelty on the sugar Plantations of Ha-
wall.
! TROUBLE WHEN SHIP SAILED.
| The last lot of Hawaii bound emf
grants sailed from Ponce March 8. The
ship intended to sail March =, but it
twas held up by the authorities on COM
Iplaints from parents that their children
were being taken away without their
consent. Dozens of women also COM
Iplained that their husbands We're de-
sorting them. The ship was detained
over night and several of those intend
! ing to sail on her were taken off by the
police.
| An unsuccessful attempt was made
on the I'd instant to ship 400 emigrants
to the Cuban mines from Ponce. The
steamer sent here by the Spanish
American Iron Company was an En-
gIish freighter and not licensed to
carry passengers. The boat was held
up by the customs authorities and the
man in charge of the expedition dis
missed the emigrants, saying that he
was an irresponsible employe and not
allowed to pay the four days pay which
the men claimed was due them while
waiting to sail. He had entered into no
contract with the people beyond a
verbal promise to give them work at 81
ly felt that they had a grievance and a
riot was imminent when they We're
quoted by the police. Seventy-five of
them sailed the~next morning on the
Californian for New Orleans en- route
to Hawaii.
OFFERED WORK IN ECUADOR.
Other emigration agents are solicit
ing men to go to Ecuador to work on
the Mcdonald railroad contract. The
Jamaican Iaborers which that company
has taken to South America are report
ed to be troublesome and unsatisfac-
tory and the contract company is anX-
ious to engage 5000 Porto Ricans.
The first expedition will probably sail
via Colon about March TO- Small par
ties of fifty or one hundred are con-
tinually leaving the island by steamer
and schooner for Hayti and Santo Do
mingo.
The emigration of her labor class
may be considered a blessing for Porto
Rico. The island is exceedingly over
populated and there is no work to be
offered to the vast army of unemploy-
ed. Those who are left behind have
more opportunity to better themselves
and those who emigrate especially
those who go to Hawaii, will be given
permanent employment. They find the
climate and style of labor the same as
that to which they are accustomed
here, and they are given free rent, fuel.
medical attendance and schooling for
their children, and besides are well
paid, conditions for which they could
never hope in Porto Rico.