The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-11
Look for a Raise.

&s@N ~ . FNA~~s
Now that the special treasury agent
Is here on business of the Custom
House the men in the outside force,
both guards and inspectors. are hop
ing that he will look into the scale
OF wages paid here. Last June when
the new force was organized the spe-
ciai agent Mr.. Chance thonght that
with the force as Il now is there would
be ample help and that as a rule the
men would find time hanging heavily
on their hands The reverse of this
has proven 10 be the case and the
men are oyerworked and underpaid as
compared with other places of the
same size on the mainland
Here the inspectors receive about
one hundred and eight dollars month
day As a result they are all looking
for something else TO do that will pay
them enough to live on and dress res
pectably. The cost of living being so
much higher here than IL was a year
ago. also cuts quite a figure liz the
matter Many OF the men are mar
ried. and while It has been said that
II Is as cheap for a man to live when
he Is married as when be was single
this has proven TO be an exploded
theory. especially in Honolulu at one
hundred and ten per month.
One of the inspectors said yester-
day: There are employed in the out
side force at the present time twelve
inspectors Some of these are at
work in the upper Office to help out
and those who are left on the outside
have to work a great deal longer than
they should on account of this. Then
some OF them have to do guard duty
as well as inspector duty. Last week
there were nineteen vessels from for
eign ports In the harbor. They had
to be guarded and discharged. With
nine men to do this work besides at
tend TO the general orders on the
many foreign steamers that arrived
we were kept hustling all the time.
In San Francisco where there are thir-
ty-seven inspectors they work but
eight hours a day which is all the
law expects OF them and they get
as salary one hundred and twenty-five
dollars q month and are trying to have
their wages raised TO FIVE dollars a
day. There II is easy TO get along or
that amount of money but here unless
a fellow lives in a Chinese restaurant
and sleeps almost anywhere he bard
~ has enough TO make both ends meet
and as far as saving anything is con
cerned II Is out of the question. OF
course there are plenty of applicants
for positions on the force but they are
generally from men who cannot find
anything TO do. and as soon as they
can they get out and better them
selves. With things as they are a
man In the employ Of Uncle Sam here
looking after the revenue cannot be ex
pected 20 stay in his job IL something
better offers. The good men on the
force are getting tired Of the racket
and IL would not take a great dea
10 get them to surrender their but
tons and badges for the privilege O
making a living In mercantile pursuits
or otherwise where they would hay'
some chance OF saving little and get
ting what their work is worth. W.
are going to hold meeting and MAKE
an endeavor 10 have the special agen
now here try and put things in thei
true light before the authorities a
washington in an endeavor to hav'
matters adjusted so that we can eth
er have the force enlarged or hav'
pay In proportion TO the work W.
d."