The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-11-24
JUDGE HATCH
90 TAKES ISSUE
WITH K|NCAID

The Boston Transcript contains the
following letter:
To the Editor of the Transcript:
| Rev. Mr.. Kincaid, pastor of the Gen.
trail Union church of Honolulu, Is quot
ed in your paper of the 21st ult, In the
account of the proceedings of the Lake
| Mohonk conference as saying: ''The
Japanese really control the labor stu
alton In Honolulu. / have seen them
drive nearly every American mechanic
out of the city. Three years ago there
| was an imposing Labor Day procession
made up of white laborers and mechan-
les. On last Labor Day only twelve
American mechanics could be brought
| together in Honolulu. I have
seen the exodus OF over two hundred
American mechanics 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 q true Amer
lean community. but they have been
crowded out"
| l regret to be compelled to differ
| from DIR. Kincaid as to his statement
that the mechanics who have left 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 demon
strated by a consideration of the fol-
| lowing proposition:
! "a Who were the mechanics and Ia
borers who have left Honolulu in the
| past three or four years? (2) When
and why did they come to Honolulu
(S) Why did they leave?
Answering these questions seriatim
submit:
"a The persons in question repre-
/ sented all branches of the building
trade, from ordinary carpenters and
helpers to a fresco painter from New
York who was paid $4,000 for one
| years work.
ca 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" If 1t may be
SO called, resulted from the fact that
the residents of Hawaii who had been
for years struggling against bad gov
ernment in almost every vicious form,
gave themselves over to JOY when fl
nally their labors and trials We're ap-
parently ended by the hoisting of the
stars and Stripes" In the fulness
and innocence of their hearts, these
people, with one accord, began to i'm
prove their property. For example,
Mr.. Alexander Young, by birth Brit
ish subject, built fireproof hotel and
business block at an expense of $780,
600. 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 building to be
| found in Bremen. the home of the
firm. Two palatial residences were
built at the seashore at Kapiolani
Park. An electric street railway sys-
tenn was installed in Honolulu. Stor-
| age tanks to contain fuel oil We're
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 Ho-
nolulu.
(3) The mechanics in question left
| Hawaii when the works above noted
We're completed. 1t is not true in any
sense that they were crowded out by
Japanese. Building operations which
We're entered !: to so freely, and upon
| so elaborate 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 overbuilding and