The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-12
LEAVING PORTO RICO.
Thousands of Laborers Going to
Hawaii Sugar Plantations.

Correspondence Of Associated Press.l
San Juan, r. R., March 5--The surplus
labor population Of Porto Rico is being
gradually but permanently leSsened by
emigration. During the past few months
over 1,S00 men, women and children have
left for Hawaii and if the Hawaiian
Sugar Planters association does not
cancel its order with the local agents,
and if too much opposition is not raised
here, about IS 900 more will be sent to
the far away islands. The local agents
have been considerably handicapped by
the publication of numerous scare stories
in the local Spanish papers. These
stories are written and circulated by
certain element, by means Of ueWSpa-
pers and hand bills which have been dis
tributed in the districts from which the
emigrants are being recruited, the ignor-
ant W0uld-be emigrants are led to be-
lieve that they are being sold into slav-
cry, and that their masters will subject
them to all manner of torture and cruel
ty on the sugar plantations of Hawaii
The last lot of Hawaii-Eound emf
grants sailed from Ponce on the Bird The
ship intended to sail on the 2nds but it
was held up by the authorities on COM
plants from parents that their ch1IuFen
were being taken away without tLeir
consent. Dozens of women also COM
planned that their husbands were desert
ing them The ship was detained over
night and several Of those intending to
sail on her were taken off by the police.
An unsuccessful attempt was made on
the End inst. to ship 400 enlfgrants to the
Cuban iron mines from Ponce. The
steamer sent here by the Spanish-Ameri-
can Iron company was an English
freighter and licensed to carry passen-
gers. The boat was held up by the Gus
toms authorities, and the man in charge
of the expedition dismissed the emf
grants, saying that he was an irrespon-
sible employee and not obliged to pay the
four days pay which the Zen 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 a day. The disappointed
men naturally felt that they had a.
grievance and a riot was imminent. when
they were quoted by the police Seven
ty-five of them sailed the next morning
on The Californian for New Orleans,
en- route to Hawaii
Other emigration agents 1Te soliciting
men to go to Ecuador to work on the
maican lahoreFs which that company
has taken to South America are reported
to be troublesome and unsatisfactory
and the contracting company is anxious
to engage 3 900 Porto RicanS. The first
expedition probably will sail about
March Is. Small parties Of fifty or 100
are continually leaving the island.
The emigration of her labor class may
be considered a blessing for Porto Rico.
and there is no work to be offered to the
vast army of unemployed Those who
are left behind have more opportunity
to better themselves, and those who emf
CRATE, especially those who so to Hawaii.
will be given permanent employment.
They find the climate and style Of labor
the same as that which they are accus-
toned to here and they are given free
fuel, rent asad schooling for their chill
n