The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-21
WASHINGTON
NOT FULLY
INFORMED
F FaCtSAboutHaWaii
Not Known
There.
CUBA WILL HAVE
TO WAIT AWHILE
J. B. Atherton Tells of His Visit
to the Capital and Impres.
sionS Gained.

III
ion that the labor situation in Ha-
4 wall should be relieved by the
bringing in of Europeans" said Mr.. j.
B, Atherton, last evening. Mr. Ather-
ton returned in the Alameda last even
Ing after trip of two months to the
East. During his visit he spent several
days in Washington, though the prin-
cipal portion of his visit was made to
friends in Baltimore Mr.. Atherton was
one of the members of the party of Ha-
waiians who visited President Roose-
welt and afterward went about the va
rious departments. Commenting upon
the feeling there as to labbr matters, he
continued:
There is a general lack of knowledge
in the capital of conditions here Pres
ident Roosevelt wanted to know why
we did not get laborers who would be-
come citizens. We told him of the hun
dreds of thousands of dollars spent by
the planters to secure Portuguese, Ital-
ian, Norwegian and other men to work
in the cane, and how they went to Cal
ifornia as soon as they got any money.
but the incident showed that no one
has any idea of the conditions here.
GIeSiOGBL AAOOSGNGlts iiONtNNAs - 1tAi-N
ious to have information and seems
much interested in the islands.
There seems no doubt that the Chi
nese exclusion bill viii pass, but only
after a fight. There are members OF
the House who would like to make
fight but are afraid TO go against the
labor unions, but the Senators are not
afraid The labor unions, seeing that
they have such a mold, Will Try ami
make the bill include japanese and all
Oriental races. This is certain to Gre
ate great feeling against the bill and
may be the means of preventing action
for time after the close Of the period
during which the bill is operative.
Should this be the effect I believe the
Six Companies at San Francisco would
run into California many thousands of
Chinese.
The labor situation in California is
peculiar too 1t /. my opinion that II
there We're 10000 more Chinese
in California the next five years
would see Advancement -
greater extent than any one
can imagine. The entire West is in
need of laborers, but the unions have
the power and Will use ii to prevent
any incoming of Chinese. I could see
no Indication that any exception would
De maze III IhNOT ~ THESE iStdii4Es
However, the fact that the labor condi-
tions here are such that we found it
necessary to ask concession has
drawn attention 10 our matters and will
result in an investigation.
Secretary Hitchcock is greatly inter-
ested in Hawaiian matters. but do not
know whether or not he viii have the
time to give much attention to Hawaii.
From what I heard l am convinced that
there viii be an investigation of our
and matters before there is any legisla-
ton in this relation.
Secretary Wilson told me that he
expects to come down here in the
spring He is very much interested in
Hawaii. He has great faith in the work
which is being done by Jared Smith,
and said that there would be much
benefit result from it. He asked many
questions as to the agricultural possi-
oilities and seemed to believe that
PERSONAL investigation would be. OF
great benefit to him in his dealings
with the islands.
Although President Roosevelt told
Is that he thought the United States
,wed ii 10 Cuba to grant trade conces-
;iOns. I believe there viii be neither
nor reciprocity. There is
strong feeling in Washington against
his, and the Senate viii fight any such
reaty very hard.
Mr.. Edison promised us that If we
wanted new storage batteries for auto
mobiles he would give us the first out
it from the factories after January 1st-
These We're to be guaranteed for sew
nty-fve miles. but owing to the sue
ess Of the rapid transit ~oad and
,ther conditions Ne viii not bring any
more autos here at present. In New
FORK the power most used IS steam.
we had some hard weather. II be
anne as cold as % degrees in Baltimore
nd We were quite ready TO come back
o Hawaii. Both Mrs. AthertGn and ny
elf returned in good health.