The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-08-23
STRIKE IS
SOON OVER.
Cane Leaders Tie
Up Eva One
Hour.
IFrom Thursday daily)

~ TRlKING japanese stopped work
~ at the Eva plantation mill for
one hour yesterday, and then the
strike, the first of the kind with which
the managers have had TO deal, with
the knowledge that the men who went
out could not go to the next planta-
ton and secure work, was broken. The
strikers were cane leaders, one hun
dred in number. and before night
twenty of the original number We're
at work, and the places OF the others
had been filed.
The strike. while il was very small
one in itself, is considered to have
been only a preteNt 10 try the temper
of the management. which, had it
been successful, would have been fol-
lowed by a general demand. The men
wanted only service regulations, &C
cording to the agents of the plantation.
the principal grievance being the lay
ing Of tracks and the bringing of the
cane cars closer to the work. This
would involve the expenditure of a
large sum in the making of tracks.
and would, as well, cost heavily in the
serving Of the cars for loading There
was one report that more money was
demanded, but this is denied on au-
thority.
When the Japanese first appeared
with their demand they were informed
by Manager Renton that the conditions
Of their employment could not be
changed, and that any of them who
wanted to quit work could get his
money at the cashiers Office. The in
terview was closed with this. a few
of the men went to work, but the
places of the others were filled by men
taken from the other departments Of
plantation work There was only one
hour lost in supplying the shortage
Of the leaders, and then the work went
on as usual During the day the
strikers lost more of their numbers,
until at the close of the day there
were twenty of the original leaders at
work. More significant than this.
however, is the fact that not one OF
the strikers called for his pay, which
would indicate that the men are not
ready to leave employment, and that
they win so back to work very soon.
What has been apprehension on the
part of many persons has been chang
ed to security, in that the firmness OF
the management of the Eva plantation
has shown that there will be no tenn
porizing with such strikes IN the ru-
ture. That the men cannot get EN-
ployment at other plantations while
there Is strike on at one, is though,
to give the management the security
which will enable any further demon
stratiOn to be handled as was this
one. There Is a belief that the strike
came as a result of the publications as
to the conferences of the planters and
managers, and further, too, that had
this not been met with firmness there
would have been spreading of the
trouble which might have involved
other branches of the mills work
The strike came on SO suddenly that
il is the opinion of the plantation men
that 1t was the work of an outside
influence, probably some one from this
city. Monday morning there was no
evidence of any discomfort, and the
first that was known OF the change in
the disposition of the men was a short
time before the strikers appeared and
made their demand, when they seem
ed to work with less than usual yigor
and determination. There is a general
opinion that Japanese, who have for
their object the bringing about of a
general strike, decided to begin at Eva,
and the attempt which proved abortiye
was in this line
There is no union of the japanese
now except in the protective associa-
tons, which are charitable and benef-
clai organizations. on each plantation
There Is no labor order and there will
be none. as there is lacking the ele-
ments which have made similar unions
successful in other places Recently
an order here, and elaborate circulars
were gotten out, and the proposed
walking delegate went about and made
addresses, but ne was not able to Sc
cure enough support to make the or
der stick. Since that time there has
been no general move. and the way In
which the first movement was met
would seem to indicate that the plan
is dead.
Japanese who are Interested in the
plantations express satisfaction with
the result of the strike, and say that
the effect will be to prevent further
attempt to coerce the plantations In
this manner. The leaders Of the IAN
anese colony are not in sympathy with
such moves, and they will be able
without doubt. to influence their coun-
trymen'