The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-05-13

Says Empire Should
Stop Coolie
Inflow.
Japanese Labor Should Not Be
Forced Upon People Who
Do Not Want 1t.


Under the heading Japanese Emil
gration-A Suggestion" the Japan Ga
zette says:
Japan is evidently quite aware of
the most effective means Of mitigating
her immediate emigration difficulties
As we have had occasion to point out,
the objection to Japanese immigrants,
as manifested both by British and
Americans, is distinctly local and not
federal, and therefore, Japan's obvious
policy in the face OF local opposition
is to address herself automatically to-
the federal Governments themselves
Now it is announced that that course
was taken in the case OF Australia, and
that already a compromise has been
made in regard to Japanese immigrants
TO Thursday Island. Here the Japan
csc divers are specially useful. and 1t
has been arranged that a restricted
number shall be admitted, to remain
under control OF the British residents.
These immigrants according 10 Japan
csc papers, win come chiefly from Wa
kayama-ken.
At the same time IL is we'll to notice
that the agitation against Japanese
immigrants in the Hawaiian Islands
is, if anything. Increasing. A large
WIS VI bcAntEEd TINS AAiOAAth
at Hilo, and at a meeting the follow
ing resolution was passed.
believing that the interests of Hilo
viii be best served by encouraging
American citizens to be identified with
the progress OF this section of the
Territory of Hawaii, the undersigned,
chairmen of committees representing
2s2 mechanics, citizens of the United
States, engaged in structural contract
ing and the various trades identified
with this proposed organization, DO
hereby agree that we viii employ only
citizen labor; that we will work only
by the side of citizen labor; that we will
not finish, nor contract TO finish any
work begun by aliens and that in all
cases where aliens are in competition
with American citizens we viii give
preference to the latter in all of our
personal dealings"
This significant declaration was
adopted and signed by the chairmen |
of committees representing eighteen
trades, of which there are two hundred |
and sixty-two workers in Hilo who |
contend that they are injured by being |
thrown in competition with aliens,
principally Japanese.
Hilo may be a comparatively small /
place but the fact of this organized |
OPPOSlllOil II q LlIlI W the jap
anese Government. There is no doubt |
that Japan needs an outlet for her
surplus population. but why force it
where 1t is not wanted? There are
plenty of directions where the japanese
could colonize successfully. Korea |
presents a good field. Formosa itself |
affords excellent opportunities, there
are China, Siam, the Dutch Indo- |
Netherlands, Borneo, and many other 1
regions bordering on the Pacific ex-
plotted by the Chinese, but left prac-
tically alone by the Japanese. The /
reason is not altogether obscure
There is a tendency in the AngIo-Saxon
races to strike out as pioneers, to
seek new fields and create new centers
of industry. The tendency, so far.
among the japanese is to go along the
lines of former pioneers. TO avail them
selves Of the benefits of an established
civilization and TO claim an equality of
treatment under state of things i
which they took no part in creating
and to which they do not propose to
make a permanent contribution. As
added to this. they underbid local laol
Dor il cannot be wondered at that theyl
have met considerable difficulty in this
policy. While the Government may be
able to effect some modification in the
local sentiment prevailing against Jap /
anese immigrants. il would be optf- II
mistic to expect that it could complete
" change that sentiment. Nor is it h
to be expected that any Federal Gov
eminent could absolutely run counter
TO the unmistakable sentiments of its
constituents. Therefore. although it is
true that the only hope OF Japan in
notifications of anti-Japanesaj
sentiment abroad rests upon he sue
cess of diplomatic effort still il is evil
dent that such notifications must
necessarily in the nature of the case
be only limited. The plain deduction
is that Japan should endeavor to divert
the stream OF her immigration It may
be well TO assert her rights on behalf.
90 Japanese who are already esta5- s
iished in places where they have he
come unyvelcome. put the main pUr-
pose obviously should be to discourage
further emigration to such places, \
and, per contra, TO promote and en-
courage in every way emigration TO
other shores. less inhospita bic perhaps
and likely TO be in the long run even
more valuable II permanently colon
lied These are merely suggestionss
but 1t seems useless and Nastefui for
Japan 10 Try to force her labor whore
IL is not wanted. locally. and might
lead to wider complications. especially
whenthere are other fields of labor.
which would in time become of ines
Unable value. Writers have compared