Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-09-04
Exchange Policy Is
OUTLINED IN
No Uncertain Terms

| lNV OuSSl tulh NJ llC
| At a meeting of the Builders and
Traders Exchange last evening the
following were present: J. II. Craig,
| w. w. Harris, J. d. Avery, l.. L.
Pinkham, j. Carol, w. f. Weldon,
c. Hall (Hackfeld & Coz, Fred. Har-
rison, A. p. Mcdonald G. w. Clark
Niustace & Coz, J. Il. Dodd, J. Ros-
enstein, s. Stephenson.
The policy of the Exchange was out
1 lined in the following document:
The Builders and Traders Exchange
deems It advisable to publicly state its
position on the labor question. so 1t
may not be misunderstood by the press
or public.
This Exchange Is not a labor organi-
cation. but is composed of employers
Of labor and seeks to form sound pub
lie opinion and just reciprocity on
all sides.
| This Exchange believes the welfare
of the Territory Of Hawaii and body
polite requires the recognition by law
of the citizen, and those eligible, who
sincerely and adequately serve the FER
ritory with head or hand in daily la
Dor, to the exclusion of the alien In
every instance possible.
This recognition was secured by the
enactment of the recent Legislature.
This Exchange favors the protection
and encouragement of the one industry
on which the Territory at present de.
ponds and which exists mainly by the
generosity of the legislative enact.
ments of the United States Congress
This Exchange Is on record at the
Department of Commerce at Washing
ton in favor of restricted Chinese la
Dor for unskilled plantation work.
This Exchange, through its repre-
sentatives, persistently urged on the
U. S. Commissioner General of lmmi'
grafton the desirability OF restricted
Chinese labor for Hawaiian plantations
This Exchange realizes that Hawaii
affords the Oriental an opportunity t0
vastly improve his fatherland condi
ton through plantation labor, domes
tic service and corresponding employ
ments.
This Exchange in so far as 1t can in.
huence public opinion, demands that
the Oriental shall thus he content and
cease to attempt to force himself into
all avenues OF business and employ
ment on a scale of civilization utterly
destructive to all the social and eco
nomic standards established for Amer
lean civilization.
This Exchange reailirms its asser
ton that the moment the Oriental de
mands for himself and his family the
same standard Of living as the white
man he ceases to be menace or impor
tant competitor of the Caucasian.
This Exchange believes every indi
yidual who. with his family, Is sustain
cd in his high standard OF living by
American civilization should be true L
that civilization and true to those whC
enjoy its advantages with him. The in
diyidual who unnecessarily throws hi
patronage to lower standard OF livini
and civilization than he is willing L
accept for himself and his family 4
= seeking an advantage over his fellow
= citizens and equals.
There Is point where selhshnes
! ceases TO be judiCiOus. 1t needs onl!
- a minority to act on similarly selfsl
I lines to begin to break down American
= civilization, and the moment major
Q ity act on identiCally selfish lines tn,
whole American economic civilization
= on these Islands will fall to Orienta
] standards, so far as individuals ar
b concerned who depend on daily employ
: ment and American mercantile patrC
!, mage.
r Persons OF wealth and special abillt
i can escape, but their environment
! cannot fail to be degraded.
y This Exchange recognizes the fac
that labor, organized and unorganizet
@ has done much to compel and has nc
J. yet ceased to afford some excuse for tn
u employment of Oriental labor. Any ms
n chanic or laborer who cannot be d.
J. pended upon when needed, who is ho
tile to his employer or who will not Civ
a full days conscientious work for
: full days pay is surely throwing his 81
ample and influence In favor OF III
Oriental.
This Exchange secured the passag
by the recent Legislature of labC
law, relating to labor employed on Go
eminent work that has never been pa
alleled by any previous labor enac
ment.
The law defines a days work In u
following terms: Eight hours Of &C
ual service shall constitute a day
work" II means labor shall deliver
the public eight hours work and Il
officials have the law behind them to T
quIre eight hours Of actual work al
not eight hours Of mere attendanc,
This IS exact justice to the Cover
mcnt, the public and labor.
, The Builders and Traders Exchan
Is an organization at whose meetin
its members and guests can free
state their opinions, however wide
differing, or even heated in eXpressio
without apprehending any subseque
Il tV,g.9