The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-12-05

]
was sent to the Governor of Porto Ri
co by Pedro J. Agostini. the father of
one OF the workmen, and Governor
Dole incloses copy of Agostini's
letter.
Take into consideration the prayers
OF these unfortunates," petitions Agos-
TIM the elder, "and help them. and
may God recompense you for it with
an eternal blessing for you and your
family"
The original petition is written and
signed in one hand. Its phrases are
very general Among other things, it
sets forth:
we Porto Ricans that happen 20 be
here. find ourselves more than tram
pied on, even to the point of wishing
ourselves dead; we are here like slaves.
and we beg you to see if we can obtain
ii from your goodness that you should
take measures so that we can return
to our own country, so as not to be
maltreated, because we do not deserve
it. They treat us like one who is in
prison, to the extent that it is good
policy to take us away from those that
we meet in the said plantation, so it is
that, being terrified, we send supplica-
illumine the way with favor to see that
II we cannot return to our beloved
Borinquen, which for the first tine We
have left, to seek our prosperity, and
have met our perdition in the terrific
, ries OF Oceania, which, although un-
der the dominion of the stars AMI
stripes, we do not consider as under
your orders.
q on
we cannot resist longer the savagery
/ that is coming to every one of us Porto
Ricans; they are every day inflicting
more barbarities upon us. The frs;
! thing is that the pay is small; it is
not according to what was offered It's
( before we left Porto Rico; the second
is that the store stand us for half our
I days wage, and the result fo- us is not
what it should be-"
! OF the testimony taken by Mr..
Hawes, that given by Julio Agostini
was the most vigorous in support of
the charges. Some of his answers to
Mr.. Hawes' questions follow:
''Do you know anything about this
complaint"
yes; / got it up"
Did you write and sign those
names?"
"Yes, / wrote 1t all. They all gave
me permission to sign their names, and
they knew what it contained"
"In the complaint it is stated that
they have been trampled on. By whom
and how were they tramplel On?'
I'VE have been trampled on because
the promises made us have not been
fulfilled. They agreed to give us only
ten hours work day, and we have to
work eleven and one-quarter hours"
What time do you get to work in
the fields?"
From 6, 80 to 7 o'clock"
What time do you stop work."
AT 4:45 to o'clock"
How long do you have for lunch?''
"Three-quarters of an hour"
Can you explain to me how this
makes eleven and one-quarter hours
work a day"
I'VE are made to get up at $50 and
start for work then"
Are your wages more than you ex-
pected when you came here?'
YES, more than | expected"
Then you have no complaint on this
score?"
Yes. I have. They get more on
! other plantations"
How are you treated like slaves, as
mentioned in the complaint"
Because we have to get up at $3.50
in the morning, and when it is dark
and go to work"
"Is that the only way you are treated
Ike slaves?"
I'm that way, and in having to worl
eleven and one-quarter hours instead
OF ten hours.
Mr.. Hawes submits n summary o
, the testimony and Of his observations
After dinner ! was driven by thu
manager. with the interpreter, to th'
quarters of the Porto Ricans, and ther,
interviewed a number Of Others III
/, says. They all wanted to go back Il
: Porto Rico. but had no specific com
: plants 10 make. They all said tina
they thought their hours were longe
than promised, but that their pay wa
more. Nearly all had seen or hear,
Of the complaint being circulated ani
had given permission 10 have thei
names placed on the same. They wer'
, housed very comfortably They al
look very healthy and the children ar,
fat aud strong. | found nothing tina
, led me 90 think that they were II
treated or that they did not &c
enough a. eat, although the amour
I, of food they are able 90 buy II In pro
: portion 20 the amount Of work the
DO
I'm concluding this report woul
say that the iOrt0 iiirans ~ PAUL
y plantation are as far as looks are con
rhruei healthy looking lot and an
J Rs We'll treated aF any ~ the oihe
p lah0rers on tho plantation, and,
. anything arc favored on account u
. their inability 90 take care ~ them
, selves Their dlssailsfaellop seems Z
, hf mainly ihai lhey afe homnsieh an
y ~ hiro iheg would ffgrsl leallnH %
lslands' y