The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-04-25
HAWA|I'S
JAPANESE
How Haywood Saved
The Situation
Here.
s1ail speclal to the Advertlserl.

WASHINGTON, d. c., April S.-A
proposition to award contract for q
600 Japanese laborers, to be employed
on the isthmian canal, at compensa-
tion of "A cents a day, and to be
brought from Hawaii has probably
been checkmated here. The news of
the Canal Commissions plans appe ar
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
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
be done by the commission to impair
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
nation 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 26 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 day, because it would cost
considerably less to bring the laborer
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 labor in the cheapest market,
just as II would 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 1t the propositions of various con-
tractors to furnish laborers and these
would be considered on their merits.
Some legal questions were 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. I'VE are not sure" said he,
that the Japanese are the cheapest
labor we can get when everything is
considered. 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
$1.50 a day than japanese laborers at
81 n day or less.
''If we have TO send to Japan for
laborers We are going to stipulate thst
these laborers must come from the In
terror Of the country. We do not want
the riffraff that hangs around the ports,
coal passers and the like. We want
japanese who are accustomed to work
ing i'm the ground. The work to be re-
quired Of them is scattering dirt that
is taken from the big Culebra cut. This
is hauled away on cars and laborers
are needed to shovel 1t away from the
cars and level down the place of
dumping.
1--WE have found considerable difficult
ty in arranging contracts to bring Ia
borers from Japan. The Japanese gov
ernment is very strict in it's regula-
tions. 1t requires guarantees for the
return of the laborers to Japan, for
medical attendance and other things.
Those are all admirable. from the
standpoint of the japanese government.
but we can not guarantee many of the
things we are asked to do. We can
not promise to bury those who die on
The isthmus. Neither can we promise
to pay $3.50 to the families of the de-
ceased laborers or to transport the re-
mains back to Japan. I understand
that many railroad companies, en-
ploying Japanese laborers, enter into
such agreements. l think many OF
those precautions for the protection OF
the laborers and their families are eX-
cellent but Done of our auditors would
pass government accounts for such
purposes. 1t simply illustrates how q
private corporation can well do some
things that the government can not do
Certain contractors, who nave sub
mitted propositions to us, nave pro
ceeded on the theory lhae the govern
ment could furnish free Il insportatior
to and from the isthmus for labOrors
That we are unable to do. others hav
figured that the Panama rsilroad woul'
transport free of charge the supple
for those laborers, lan1ei AZ The port
on the Atlantic or Paoitc side Of IN
isthmus. But If We graz: free trans
portation to contractors for labor W
shall be pressed to grant free trans
portation for practically everythin
and IL does not seem to ls wise TO al
low that"
TAFT'S VISIT.
The preparations for Secretary Taft
party, which is to visit the Philippine
are now well towards completion. A
the purpose of the trip is clearly I
help along the campaign for free trad
in sugar and tobacco, to which III
President and Secretary Taft are thol
oughly committed, the Hawaiian ar
thorities can not take a lively intere'
IN fha vnvaqa HOUeyer the nartxy WI