Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-16

suddenly disappear. The-active Chinaman
only the time of the Chit ese New Year, in
January or February. aid can always be
depended upon. Thus ths needy native is
pushed, by alien competition, to bestir him.
self In my time in the port of Iloilo four
foreign commercial houses had to incur the
expense and risk of bringing Chinese coolies
for loading and dischasxttng vessels. while
the native coolies lounged about and abso-
lutely refused to work. Moreover the ex-
action and avarice Of the native are quite
intOlerable. and create serious impede
ment to the development of the colony.
IF a native Is commissioned to perform
any kind Of service he will refuse to stir
without sum of money beforehand. while
the Cinnamon very rarely expect payment
until they have given value for 1t. Only the
direst necessity will make an urskilled Ia
bOrer continues severakweeks at work for a
wage which Is only to be paid when due
There Is scarcely a single agriculturist who
has not the burden OF having to sink a
share Of his capital in making advances to
his labOrers. who, nevertheless, are in no
way legally bound thereby to serve the
capitalist: or whether they are or not the
fact Is that large proportion Of this capt.
tai Is SO employed must be considered lost"
Gov. Taft's Experience.
Judge Taft and other friends of the Fill.
pino. including several important EMPLOYERS
Of labor differ from Mr.. Foreman on this
subject In his farewell report the ex-rov-
ernOr says:
American and foreign business men con.
tinue to complain OF the difficulty in secur-
Ing good labor. The question was discussed
In my last annual report. l think that II
would be a great political mistake to admit
Cinnamon freely into these islands as Ia
borers: am convinced that the Filipino. as
conditions settle, can be made good
laborer: not so good as the American or
Chinaman. but one with whom 1t will be
possible to carry on great works of con-
structfon. We are now employing $500
FIipfnos on the Benguel road, and our
engineers report that, wages considered,
they are doing good work. We had an
unfortunate experience IN obtaining labor
for this road, due to Misunderstanding
with the laborers, and to the fact that the
men were obtained from an undesira BILE
class in Manila and the neighboring prov
inces. 1t Is fairly inferable from the facts
that the persons who agree to furnish la
borers. whether Intentionally or uninten-
tionally. misled them as to the terms upon
which they should be employed Since
that time. however. the superintendent has
been able to get Filipino laborers from all
over Luzon and. already stated, the
number is $500 and steadily growing. The
Atlantic. Gulf and Pacific Company, which
is engaged in building the great Manila
port work. needing in its employ from 500
to 1000 men. has adopted the system OF
making the la5Orers comfortable and at
home, and can procure more labor than 1t
needs and good labor. too.
THE commission employed Messrs. Nor
ton and Drew as railway engineers to make
surveys for possible lines through the Is
land Of Luzen. and Mr. Norton Is quite dis
couraged in regard to the difficulty of Sc
curing native labor for the construction of
these lines. The Manila and Dagupan rail-
road was built with native labor. and the
extensions which are now under construc-
ton, under franchises granted by the COM
mission. are being built by the same labor.
roll
struction of railway systems begun at once
all over the Islands the supply of laborerS
would be found deficient. In such contin-
gency," continues Ex-Governor Taft. the
latton permitting the use Of cooIie labor
for short period, but Itanticipate no such
necessity"
Entirely Satisfied.
Morris F. Lowenstein, manager of one OF
the largest shipping firms In Manila. told
me the other day that his firm was entirely
satisfied with their native stevedores; that
they found them faithful. punctual, ener-
getic and efficient. and he asserts that no
stevedores of any race could do the same
work better. quicker or for less pay. which
is 70 cents gold a day. Mr.. Lowenstein
does not believe in opening the gates of the
Philippines to the Chinese unless Congress
insists upon retaining the duties on tobacco.
sugar and other agricultural products. IN
cheap labor for the planters In order that
they may compete with Cuba and other Is
lands of the West Indies. %,
The manager Of the company that Is
building the new port, to whom Governor
Taft alludes, is a strong, supporter OF ma
tive labor. and put his opinions and ex-
perience in the acknowledgements and POSI-
tive form: Y -
First. we believe that Filipino labor can
successfully be used. We are employing
about 1000 Filipinos. which is practical
demonstration that this statement is found
ed upon experience and not upon theory.
Second. to successfully employ Filipino
labor to the American employer of labor, IS
a new business which has to be learned. If
he cannot learn 1t he cannot do business In
the Filipino world.
Third. in general the FiIipinos have to
be taught how to work. This requires
considerable number of Intelligent, high
grade American foremen and mechanics.
Fourth, the way to keep the Filipino
laborer permanently in ones employe Is to
arrange his surroundings that he Is bet
ter off there and more contented there
than anywhere else. This we have at
tanned by means of providing homes for the
F'ilipinos and their families, also amuSe-
ments. including Sunday festas and schools
where their children may be educated.
Fifth. We are opposed to the introduce
ton Of Chinese. The only, argument We can
see in its favor is that 1t may somewhat
of the islands. This temporary advantage
Is. we believe, overbalanced and over
whelmed by the ultimate injury to both
Americans and natives in these islands.
Sixth. we believe that the greatest need
Of the islands Is the abolition of the Ding
ley tariff far 1t applies to the Philip
pines. We want the American market not
the Chinese laborer.''
DOUBLE FUNERAL AT HADLEY,