Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-11-23

following letter:
To the Editor OF the Transcript:
Rev. Mr.. Kincaid, pastor OF the Cen.
trail Union church of Honolulu Is quot.
ed in your paper of the 2lst ult., in
the account of the proceedings of the
Lake Mohonk conference as saying:
THE japanese really control the la.
Dor situation in Honolulu. have
seen them drive nearly every Ameri.
can mechanic out Of the city. Three
years ago there was an imposing La.
Dor Day procession made UP of white
laborers and mechanics. On last La.
Dor Day only twelve American me-
chanics from the Central Union
church. They had come to the Islands
determined to make their homes there
and they were making the backbone
Of what call true American commu-
pity, but they have been crowded
out"
regret to be compelled to differ
from DR. KinCaid as to his statement
that the mechanics who have lett Ha.
wall during the last three years have
been crowded out by the Japanese.
Such Is not the fact. That they have
departed to the extent of perhaps a
thousand is true. The reason why
these people have left is clearly dem.
onstrated by consideration of the
following prOpUsilUn:
| ID Who were the mechanics and la.
borers who have left Honolulu in the
past three or four years? (2) When
and why did they come to Honolulu?
go Why did they leave?
Answering these questions seriatim
| submit:
ID The persons in question repre-.
scented all branches of the building
trade, from ordinary carpenters and
helpers to fresco painter from New
York who was paid $4,000 for one
years work.
(2) They all came to Honolulu after
annexation. The reason why they
came was that a great activity then
developed in the building trade far in
excess of the capacity of the resident
mechanics. The BOOM" II It may be
so called, resulted from the fact that
the residents OF Hawaii who had been
for years struggling against bad gov.
eminent in almost every vicious form,
gave themselves over to JOY when fin.
ally their labOrs and trials were ap.
parently ended by the hosting of the
stars and Stripes" In the fullness
and innocence OF their hearts, these
people, with one accord, began to i'm.
prove their property. For example,
Mr.. Alexander Young. by birth a Brit.
ish subject, built hreproof hotel and
business block at an expense Of ST.
100000. Messrs. Hackfeld & Co, the
old established German importing
house, put up an office building for
their own use which would compare
favorably with any mercantile build.
ing to be found In Bremen, the home
of the firm. Two palatlal residences
were built at the seashore at Kapio.
lanl Park. An electric street railway
system was installed in Honolulu.
Storage tanks to contain fuel oil were
erected. The Government system of
water works was enlarged. Pumping
plants were installed. In addition to
the above, five large plantations were
started two OF which were near Homo.
lulu
80 The mechanics in question left
Hawaii when the works above noted
were completed. It Is not true in any
sense that they were crowded out by
| In u,,t 4, 10,
were entered into SO freely, and upon
SO elaborate a scale, In the first flush
of happiness which followed annexa.
ton came to a standstill. There was
no more work to be done. A reaction
followed. The mechanics in question
returned to the mainland to seek
work. There was overbuldng and
consequently there has been stagna.
ton. One fine brick office building
erected at that time has been without
a single pay tenant to this day. The
thousand and one mechanics were no
more crowded out by the japanese
than was the fresco painter.
1t may be asked why did this change
OF heart take place. The answer is
obvious: Hawaii eXacted no terms
when annexation took place. She
threw herself in the utmost good faith
upon the fairness OF Congress. To the
bitter disappointment of all Amerf
cans in Hawaii, Congress has hedged
about the Islands with restrictions in
regard to labor, in regard to lands,
and in regard to shipping, which
threaten to ruin her main industry.
The feeling pervading today in Homo
lulu Is such as might be expected to
exist in Massachusetts ii there were
good reason TO believe that within six
months every mill operative in the
State would depart; and some superior
power, Congress, for instance, would
prevent the immigration of single
laborer TO take the place OF those who