The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-16

lulu and who arrived in this city with
written for the Times the following ac-
count of the trip with his impressions
of the methods employed by the emf
grafton company, and the characters
tics of the emigrants.-Los Angeles
Times.
EIGHTH EXPEDITIONxHOW RE-
CRUITING WAS DONE.
The story of the recruiting of these
poor, homeless, penniless peasants is
more interesting than is the tale of their
trip from Porto Rico to New Orleans,
and from New Orleans to Port Los
Angeles. Having observed this people
in their huts, and in their different hab-
it's OF living for the last eight months,
and accompanying them on this last ex-
petition from the recruiting stations in
Porto Rico to this port, the writer feels
that to the public is due the Informal
ton.
The Hawaiian Sugar Plantation As
ises to men, women boys and girls,
steady wages, house rent, light, fuel,
medicine and medical attendance. an
agreement very tempting to the poor
classes of Porto Rico.
r. A. Macfie of San Juan, Porto Rico,
is the recruiting agent for the enter
prise. He has a number of agents I'M
der him who are continually securing
the hills and interior districts of Porto
Rico, enlisting all who will go, negroes
rejected as much as possible. 1t has
been found that these latter cause the
most trouble and create dissatisfaction
when aboard the ship.
The people of that poverty
island regret very much this exodus of
their working brothers, prophesylng
slavery for those who go and higher
prices to be paid for home labor. The
natives have experienced many hard
ships from their former masters, and
though they love their beautiful but
destitute island. vet their needs force
them to go. Often a husband is talked
into going to Hawaii. but the family
does not wish to leave the home land.
Sometimes, as on this last expedition,
lovers were induced to go to Hawaii,
and sweethearts followed them. A few
widows and fatherless children were
encouraged to pick up their baggage
and go to "the best islands of the Pa
cific" and some crippled brothers or
cousins were allowed to go just because
their supporting friends We're engaged
to go.
THEY DON'T FLOCK.
The people of Porto Rico do not flock
to the recruiting stations in great num-
bers. offering to go. 1t is necessary that
the recruiting agents go out and find
their men and talk them into it, make
plain the offers of the company to fur
nish free transportation, free mainte-
nance, new clothes from head to foot,
and medical attention throughout the
Journey, and yet many hesitate to join
the poor, half-clothed, sickIy and starv-
ed ones that do accept the offers. They
often live so far away from the coast
town that the recruiting agents must
furnish oxcarts to haul them to port,
or else they never would be able to join
the expedition. When with those who
are enlisted to go to Hawaii they are
happy. When out among their friends
there is a hush. Hawaii smacks so
much of slavery and never to re-
turn The recruiting agents had all
their emigrants congregate at the small
port town of Guanica for four different
expeditions. When the seventh expedi
ton left that port town, May "a, the
rich plantation owners came in great
numbers and induced their laborers to
remain with them, promising them the
same wages as they were to receive in
Hawaii Much trouble ensued at the
hour when the ship came In and en-
barkation commenced. A number ran
to the mountains and hid themselves
to evade going. Others deliberately
picked up their baggage and walked out
of town, and trusted their old friends
for better support.
CALLED "DESERTERS."
The emigration agents called on the
police and stationed two at the edge
of the village where all the "deserters'
would have to pass, there being only
one road. AS soon as the Mayor of the
town learned this he called in the po-
lice, on the grounds that these people
had perfect right to the use of the roads
at any hour or day that they choose
To hold their people together, and to
SeCuIe DellSE CIVIL pIOlStllOH 1IOUl Tie
police against these opposing elements,
the emigration agents transferred their
embarking point to the Ponce playa
where the spirit of the people was more
favorable to the emigration. Many Por-
TO Ricans complain that since these re-
cruiting agents receive 81 per head for
each emigrant they secure, they are
practically selling their own brothers tc
strangers for a small sum.
The newspapers of Porto Rico al
oppose the migration, except the Sar
Juan News, which Is still waiting fol
81 900 from the company before it viii
espouse the cause. Porto Rico has 954,
432 people crowded into a district O.
| 3,451 square miles, of which land Al pei
cent is mountainous. OF the poor. SUI
perstitious population II per cent are Il
| literates, having expected relief from
| trouble by Americans, rather than BY
their own efforts.
THE EXPEDITION STARTS.
! For three weeks prior to June ii al
| the sub-recruiting agents were bus!
| day and night, collecting the persons
who would consent to go to Hawaii
AT the pJava Of Ponce thew vera hons