Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-01-15

NOuiN prevent II
The Labor Question,
The only topic on which the sub-com- !,
mittee IL divided in opinion Is as to-
labor. two OF the members fayoring the
restriction OF Chinese immigration, the
third. Burton of Kansas, iavoring the
admission 81 the Orientals on the sole
condition that they are to perform ag-
ricultural labor only. In the opinion
OF Senator Mitchell and Senator Foster,
1t is not wise to open the doors further
than they are now open to the introduce
ton of Chinese cheap labor into Ha-
vail The doors are now wide open TO
japanese cheap labor; they are closed
to Chinese. They hold that the best
interests, not only of Hawaii and the
people thereof, including the sugar
planters, but of the United States, do
not call for an Legislation that would
Increase the immigration of cheap
Chinese labor into Hawaii. Some very
strong arguments are presented against
opening the doors to the Chinese.
they Evade Farm Labor.
Statistics gathered by the commit
tee show that while there are only
about $4,000 Oriental laborers on the
Hawaiian plantations there are about
SG.S7S Orientals in the islands OF these
27,767 are Chinese; the rest Japanese
The natural conclusion is drawn that
either the 4S,S7S Orientals who are not
employed in field work are not en-
ployed at all, and therefore, a curse to
the country, or otherwise in the main
they must be employed in vocations
not merely as laborers, but in which
skilled labor is employed, in which lat
ter event they are not only coming in
competition with the white labor. bu.
absolutely excluding white labor from
the Territory; and that this Is being
done to very large extent today in
Honolulu, Hilo and the other prin-
cipal cities and towns in the islands
there cannot be any question Gov
Dole's report for 1901 shows that out
Of 2j,7i2 Chinese then in the territory.
but 1879 were unskilled laborers on
the plantations Many OF them were
engaged in business as merchants.
hack drivers, artisans, mechanics. etc,
driving out not only the whites and
native Hawaiians, but the Portuguese,
Porto Ricans and the negroes.
Not Desirable citizeno.
Testimony taken by the committee
shows that the Chinese are not desir-
able citizens They simply remain In
the islands long enough TO gather to-
gether limited amount, which will be
sufficient 10 maintain them in their
native country: when this is obtained
they return to their home; they nave
no other ambitions. The prevailing
nigh wages enables them TO accumulate
the necessary funds in a comparative
~ short time. for the price of labor in
Hawaii has increased 40 per cent in
the last two years. 1t is the opinion oil
the committee that although a tempo
rary benefit might result from an in.
crease of cheap labor to those at pres
Cnt engaged in developing and operat.
ing the sugar plantations of Hawaii,
this benefit would be only temporary,
and in the end such policy could re.
Eult in Orientalizng the islands as to
bring about a condition that would
result eventually to the great detri-
nent of the very best interests Of the
enterprising men now Engaged in this
great industry.
Corruption Of Officials.
There has been recently a perfect
..s % h.
Of public officials IN Hawaii, which has
involved the administration of Gov.
Dole in a cloud, and which has en-
shrouded him in maze of embarrass-
ment." So opens an interesting chap
ter of the report After reciting de-
tails OF numerous defalcations, which
have heretofore been review in the
press, the committee calls attention to
the fact that there is no provision
whatever in the organic act, or In any
FOCAL statute, requiring either the Ter
ritorial treasurer, or any other Fed
eral or territorial officer. except the as
SCISSOR and tax collector, to give
bond conditioned for the faithful per-
Torrance Of the trust. The assessor
and tax collector was required to give
| tond TO the amount Of bur $4,000,
while by his own testimony he may
fave as much as $3.50, 900 taxes in his
hands at one time. in not requiring
a greater bond from this officer, your
committee believe the governor and
secretary of state are properly charge
able with negligence of public duties.
/ Your committee recommends such leg
lslation as will. compel every public
officer, both Federal and Territorial,
who has control Of public lands, to give
sufficient bond to cover any and ali
| delinquencies
KohaIa Ditch Enterprise.
Two days OF the investigation were
devoted to taking testimony on the
merits of the claims of the Hawaiian
Ditch Company and of A. c. Gehr to
the right to construct what Is known
as the Kohala irrigating ditch. The
committee was satisfied that the pro-
ject Is a worthy one,' and should re-
ceiye the cordial encouragement OF
. Il, .I,,a