The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-12-04
NO LABOR
UNION THIS
Organization to Benefit
japanese Working
Glasses.

About sixty delegates from Hawaii.
Oahu, Maui and Kauai, are now in at
tendance at the conference of the Cen
trail Japanese Association which is be-
ing organized here. The meetings will
continue for the remainder of the week
when the organization will be placed
on a permanent footing.
The delegates were called together
at the instance Of Consul-General Mkt
Saito, who will be the permanent pres
ident, the office in future descending to
his successors as Consul The first
meeting was held on November 80 on
Nuuanu street above Vineyard. Mr..
Saito was chosen temporary chairman.
Mr.. c. Shioda was elected chairman,
and Mr.. Y. Nagai, vice chairman, at
yesterdays meeting. Mr.. Saito made
an address at the opening of the meet
ing. His address, in part, was to the
effect that the reason he had called the
convention was to put the Association
on a permanent basis. The delegates
assembled represented all of the Jap
anese in the Islands, numbering Co.
900 persons.
1T is not a labor union" Mr.. Ozawa
said. THE organization takes in ev-
erything relative to the behavior and
welfare of the japanese working pop
ulation of Hawaii, which you know
numbers about $4,000.
THE idea is to take some of the bur-
den of looking after our people off the
Consul. This is made clear by the
Consul's letter to the Planters Asso-
citation, which he wishes the Advertiser
to publish in full. The Association Is
not to create, but to prevent trouble
If any trouble should arise between EN-
ployers and employees, it is the object
of the organization to get between them
and settle the differences amicably.
Consul Mkt Saito will be the per-
manent president and moving spirit of
the Association. The district auxili-
aries will be composed OF merchants.
doctors and some representative work.
ingmen.
THE Consul and those assisting. in
the movement believe that it is not
to the interest of Japanese laborers
to leave here for the Coast. An effort
will be made to keep the japanese
here, besides protecting their interests
in legitimate ways-for instance, with
regard to the Japanese hack law, which
we regard as an injustice"
Following is the Consuls letter re-
ferred to by Mr.. Ozawa:
The Hawaiian Sugar Planters Asso-
citation, Honolulu, T. H.
Gentlemen: Accompanying this
note kindly find a rough draught of
a document embodying the objects of
a society among the Japanese of the
islands, the principles of which will
explain themselves.
ITO prevent any misunderstanding
on your part, or on the part of plan
tation managers, as to the motives I'M
derlying a proposition recently advan-
ced to consolidate the Japanese
throughout the Islands into a mutual
protective society. we beg now to pre-
sent respectfully for your considera-
ton the following facts:
When the Japanese laborers were
first introduced into this country there
We're provided for them several official
an important part in settling trouble
among the Japanese as well as mis-
between planters and
laborers. ! This system worked admir-.
ably but unfortunately passed into dis
use. We are cogniZant of the fact |
that most of these laborers are in con-
slant need of attention and advice. |
They are tractable under the guidance |
Of good leader, and equally amenable |
to the control of an INSCRIPTIONS |
schemer. Slight provocations that |
once would have passed unnoticed are |
now sufficient to cause laborer to de- |
sert his plantation.
Comparatively high wages offered |
oy California fruit growers have caused |
l great commotion among these simple |
minded people. Without ascertaining
now long period such rate of wages
asts, they hastily conclude to leave
he Islands and besiege steamship, Of
Ices in their attempts to secure trans
portation, some of them even paying
or first class passage. So it has come
about that, instead of being character
zed for steady application to work,
Japanese laborers have of late become
iioic Siiitiil6 one
place to another.
1T is certainly against the idea of
he Japanese government to have an
'xodus of the Japanese from this coun-
ry to the mainland. The passports
ire marked expressly for Hawaii, and
T the matter could be properly pre-
'ented to those starting out for the
coast, their respect for the home gov
apart from other arguments,
would probably be enough to arrest
heir departure.
80, it Is the desire of this society
o use a persuasive influence over the
aborers, to give them such correct in
ormation that they may be induced
o stay at work steadily on the plan
atoms and not go to an uncertainty
n the mainland.
THE main purpose Of the japanese
league of Hawaii, so far as 1t may
interest you, are as follows:
"q) In conjunction with the repre-
entatives of the japanese government,
o restrict the emigration of japanese
o the States.
"(2) To instil into the laborers an