Evening star., 1901-03-12
Unemployed Laborers Seeking Work
in Hawaii and Elsewhere.
EXODUS 4 BOON TO THE ISLAND
It Has Greater Population Than
There is Employment For.
THE INDUCEMENTS OFFERED

Correspondence OF the Associated Press.
SAN JUAN, p r.. March 5--The sur
plus labor population of Porto Rico Is
being gradually, but permanently. lessened
by emigration. During the past few months
over / 800 men, women and children have
left for Hawaii and II the Hawaiian Sugar
Planters Association does not cancel its
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 considerably
handicapped by the publication of numer-
Gus scare stories in the local Spanish
papers. These stories are written and cir
culated by a certain element. which, for
one reason or another is opposed to emil
grafton. BY means of newspapers and
handbnls. which have been distributed In
the districts from which the emigrants are
being recruited. the ignorant would-be emil
grants are led to believe that they are
being sold into slavery, and that their
masters will subject them to all manner OF
torture and cruelty on the sugar planta-
tons of Hawaii.
Trouble When the ship Sailed.
The last lot of Hawaii-bound emigrants
sailed from Ponce March 3. The ship in
tended to sail March 2, but it was held up
parents that their children were being
taken away without their consent Dozens
Of women also complained that their hus-
bands were deserving 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 2d instant to ship 400 emigrants to the
Cuban mines from Ponce. The steamer
sent here by the Spanish-American Iron
Company was an English freighter, and
not licensed to carry passengers. The boat
was held up by the customs authorities,
an the man in charge of the expedition
dismissed the emigrants. saying that he
was an irresponsible employe and not al
lowed to pay the four days pay which the
men claimed was due them while waiting
to sail He had entered into contract
with the people beyond a verbal promise to
give them work at 81 a day. The disap-
pointed men naturally felt that they had a
grievance. and a riot was imminent, when
they were quieted by the police. Seventy
five OF them sailed the next morning on the
Californian for New Dreams en- route to
Hawaii
Offered Work in Ecuador
Other emigration agents are soliciting
men to go to Ecuador to work on the Nc
Donald railroad contract. The Jamaican
laborers which that company has taken to
South America are reported to be trouble
some and unsatisfactory. and the contract
ing company is anxious to engage 1000
Porto Ricans.
The first expedition will probably sail
via Colon about March IL. Small parties
Of fifty or one hundred are continually
leaving the island by steamer and scboon-
er for Hayti and Santo Domingo.
Inc emigration of her labor class NAV be
considered blessing for Porto Rico. The
island is exceedingly overpopulated and
there is no work to be offered to the vast
army Of unemployed. Those who are left
Dehlnd nave more opportunity to better
themselves. and those who emigrate es-
peclaIly those who go to Hawaii, will be
gwen permanent employment. They find
the climate and style of labor the same
as tnat to which they are accustomed here
and they are given free rent, fuel, medical
attendance and schooling for their children
ana besides are we'll paid. conditions for
Whlch they could never hope in Porto Rico