The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-17
AFTER THE FILIPINO LABOR
HAYWOOD SEES THE PRESIDENT
ABOUT THE MATTER.
Acting For Planters He Seeks To Land
Shipload From Manila at Honolulu.
Points Out Need for Them

WASHINGTON July 3.-william
Haywood. who represents the business
and commercial interests of Hawaii in
Washington, has raised an important
question as to the admission of Fill
pinos to Hawaii for labor purposes, and
the administration is in a quandary
what to do with the question, although
the officials have so far indicated that
they would refuse to permit the landing
of Filipinos in Hawaii
Mr.. Haywood came here at the re-
quest of the business interests of Ha-
wall after the election of Delegate Will
cox to Congress. the wealthy interests
desiring to be represented here by some
one familiar with congressional and
governmental matters. Recently the
complaints from Hawaii have been Sc
we're over the lack of labor on the big
sugar plantations and it has been m
possible to secure sufficient labor for
the work, The consequence is the loss
of money to the sugar planters. Mr.
Haywood was asked to endeaVor to get
permission from the government for the
landing of a ship load of Filipinos. Mr..
Haywood went before the War Depart
ment with his proposition, then before
the Treasur" and today he saw Presi-
dent Mckinley. He did not discuss for
publication the nature Of his talk with
the President, and said that he is going
I to Hawaii in few days.
Before the decision of the Supreme
Court as to Porto Rico several ship
loads of Porto Kicans were taken to
Hawaii and are doing WELL but the
trouble about labOrers from that island
is that not a sufficient number can be
had, and their physical condition is so
bad that it takes a long time to build
| them up for plantation work after their
arrival in Hawaii In the meantime
| the sugar plantations are suffering for
labor and something must be done
! Under the old government in Hawaii
the japanese government permitted
thousands of labOrers to go to Hawaii
under contract to work on the Dlanta-
tons. The Japanese government takes
the position that unless a laborer is
hlred under contract his chances are
not good. After the immigration laws
of the United States were extended to
Hawaii, utting a stop to contract
labor, japanese laborers were no longer
available, and this source was cut off
Chinese, who are the best of all plan
tation laborers, are not admitted to the
Islands any more than to this country
and this supply is shut off. The Ha-
waiian planters believe that the Fill
pinos would fill their needs. and ask
that laborers from there be let in.
In his arguments before Secretary
Gage and Secretary Root Mr.. Haywood
has taken the position that the Philip
pines are not foreign territory and that
they are in the same relation to the
United States as was Porto Rico prior
TO the passage of the Foraker law.
Should this position be admitted as cor
rect the government would be compelled
to admit FflipinOs to Hawaii or to this
country without waiting for a decision
of the status of the Philippines by the
Supreme Court
The information received by officials
from Mr.. Haywood and other sources Is
that the Hawaiian planta tons are real
ly suffering for want Of labor and that
the situation is a serious one with those
who have invested tunes in this pur-
suit They must have help of some
kind. Conditions in the United States
are so prosperous that laborers cannot
be obtained, and those who are willing
to go are not the kind wanted. 1t is
stated that southern negroes cannot be
utilized, as the natives of Hawaii re-
fuse to associate with them. and get
along badly with them.
Mr.. HAYWOOD has been given to un-
derstand that if a ship load of Filipinos
are taken to Hawai- they will be refused
landing.