The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-04-22
.HAWAIPS
JAPANESE
How Haywood Saved
The Situation
Here.
CMail Special to the Advertiser).


WASHINGTON, D. C., April S.-A
proposition to award a contract for q
900 Japanese laborers, to be employed
on the isthmian canal. at a compensa-
ton of "A cents a day, and to be
brought from Hawaii has probably
been checkmated here. The news OF
ed in yesterday mornings papers
There is a demand for more labor on
the canal and the new commission has
been casting about for the best market
in which to secure it.
The outline of what has been done to
prevent any such drain upon the labor
supply of the islands is already known
in Honolulu. Early yesterday morn
ing Mr.. William Haywood called upon
members of the commission to make a
vigorous protest against the awarding
of any such contracts. He also cabled
to Gov. Carter to enter an official pro-
test to Secretary Taft. After this had
been done, Mr.. Haywood called upon
Secretary Taft this morning and re-
ceived assurances that nothing would
Hawaii's labor supply. The Secretary
said he should write a letter, directing
the commission to make no awards for
labor that looked to securing laborers
from Hawaii.
1t is easy to understand that the Sit
uation is more or less perilous, not
withstanding the Secretary's assur-
ances, for ingenious contractors may
find ways to evade the secretary's in
structions. The second lowest bid for
1000 laborers was at 81 per day. The
difference of &c cents was to come from
the lower cost of transporting the
laborers to the isthmus. The lowest
bidder had figured that he could afford
to sell the labor to the government at
"A cents a day. because it would cost
from Honolulu to Panama than from
Yokohama to Panama. Commissioner
Magoon, who will be governor of the
canal strip as soon as he moves to
Panama in May, stated yesterday that
the commission was simply seeking
to buy laIo" in the cheapest market.
just as it wo1ld buy steam shovels or
other things necessary to the construc-
ton of the big ditch. He added that
the commission mad had constantly be-
fore it the propositions of various con-
tractors to furnish laborers and these
would be considered on their merits
Some legal questions We're involved
which had been referred to the Attor-
ney-General for an opinion.
Commissioner Magoon however.
thinks it not at all certain yet that
Oriental labor will be extensively en-
ployed. 1--WE are not sure" said he,
that the Japanese are the cheapest
labor we can get, when everything is
The supply of white la
borers is rather short now but it may
be decided later on that We can bet
ter hire white laborers and pay them
s1.50 a day than japanese laborers at
81 a day or less.
If we have to send to Japan for
aborers We are going to stipulate th.t
-hese laborers must come from the In
erior of the country. We do not want
he riffraff that hangs around the ports.
,oal passers and the like. We want
Japanese who are accustomed to work
ng in the ground. The work to be re-
luired of them is scattering dirt that
: taken from the big Culebra cut This
5 hauled away on cars and laborers
ire needed to shovel it away from the
ars and level down the place of
Jumping.
I'VE have found considerable difficult
Y in arranging contracts to bring la
'orers from japan. The japanese gov
rnment is very strict in its regula-
ions. 1t requires guarantees for the
eturn of the laborers to Japan for
medical attendance and other things
hose are all admirable from the
tandpoint of the japanese government |
ut We can not guarantee many of the |
hings we are asked to do. We can
ot promise to bury those who die on |
he isthmus. Neither can we promise |
o pay $3.50 to the families of the de- |
eased laborers or to transport the re-
Mains back to Japan. l understand |
hat many railroad companies, en-
Toying japanese laborers, enter into |
uch agreements. I think many of |
hose precautions for the protection of |
he laborers and their families are ex- |
client but none of our auditors would |
ass government accounts for such
urposes 1t simply illustrates how a
rivate corporation can we'll do some |
hings that the government can not do. ]
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