Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-05-12
70 CONSULT SARGENT
BUILDERS AND TRADERS ON
CITIZEN LAB0K PROBLEM
MEETING HELD LAST NIGHT-A
LETTER 10 BASEBALL Asso.
ciATioN-FiNANcEs.
MEMBERS.

The Builders and Traders Exchange
may meet this week with Commission.
er of immigration Sargent to discuss
what can be done to get the Federal
departments to take the same stand as
the Exchange has induced the Terri.
tory to take on the labor situation.
Only citizens of the United States
or those eligible to become citizens of
the United States can now be employ.
ed as skilled laborers on the local pub.
lie works, and the same rule applies
to unskilled or common labor, except
&c At in cases of emergency alien labor
may be employed temporarily only.
! but the use of such labor is so hedged
about with heavy penalties for viola.
ton of the law that the emergency Is
likely to be patent to every one before
any official will dare authorize its use.
An authorization not based on an
emergency renders the official, as well
as the general or sub. COntractor. liable
to a fine of not less than ten nor more
than one hundred dollars for each
man and each day.
The Exchange hopes to find out just
the way to secure the same require.
ments for Federal work at the Naval
Station, Pearl Harbor and the Army
post. The fact that such an order
from the President would be "deve.
oping the Territory along traditional
American lines" as recommended by
President Roosevelt Is considered a
strong argument in its favor. The
question is the best way to get the
matter to the attention OF the Presi.
dent himself.
I The Exchange realize that the CUES.
ton OF who sha.. do the Government
work in this small Territory Is too
small a matter to catch the Presidents
ear were II not for the fact that the
AmCriCaniZation of these Islands Is at
issue. To draw 1000 Asiatic laborers
from the plantations to work at Pearl
Harbor would not only deprive the
plantations OF needed help .ubt would
deprive Honolulu merchants. real es.
tate men and contractors OF the mon.
plantations Of needed help but would
be sure to spend here, many of them
buying property and building homes
and becoming permanent asset.
Judge Estee figured such men worth
$1,000 apiece to the community: 1000
OF them would add, at that rate, 81.
100000 to the assets Of this Territory.
an item in the Americanization OF Ha-
wall which the Exchange believes the
President will consider II properly
placed before him.
The Exchange had the matter up
nearly two years ago, when Admiral
Merry started the work at the Naval
Station. A committee of prominent
contractors called on the Admiral, but
received no encouragement whatever
The Exchange feel that Mr.. Sargent
will at least listen to their request,
and. on account of the backing which
the Federated Trades will give the
proposition, they hope to accomplish
something.
The matter of employment of citizen
labor on semi-public work was well
discussed by the Board last night.
Much favorable comment has been
heard in the Exchange and the labor
organizations of the stand l.. b. Kerr
has taken in requiring only citizen
labor on his new dry goods store on
Alakea street. The Odd Fellows also
come in for the same goodwill on &c.
count of the requirement THAI citizen
labor must be used In their new block.
The secretary was instructed to take
the matter up with the trustees of the
baseball grounds and the Y. NJ. C. A..
and Y. w. C. A. In relation to their
Wahiawa bungalows. The Exchange
takes the broad ground Of not fighting
the Oriental on account of his race,
but solely on account OF his habits of
life. When a Chlnaman or japanese
iG willing to live like an American,
bring up his family on the American
plane of living, and spend his money
like an American in American stores.
he ceases to be a detriment to Ameri-
can labor and takes his place with
other naturalized and Americanized
foreigners. 1t Is the fact that so few
Orientals are willing to do this that
comes so close to drawing racial lines
in the matter.
Following is copy of the letter sent
out to the Baseball Association:
Trustees Honolulu Baseball Associa-
ton, City.
Gentlemen:-By direction Of the
Builders and Traders Exchange of Ho.
nolulu, representing the employers Of
80 per cent. of the skilled non.AsiatiC
labor of this Territory, not employed
in the manufacture of sugar, have
the honor to respectfully suggest that
you embody the following clause in the
contracts for your new baseball park;
mo Asiatic labor shall be employed
upon this contract other than as com
mon laborers and any violation OF this
clause shall nulllfy this contract"
There was a full meeting of the
Board of Directors Of the Builders and
| Traders EXCHANGE last night and an