Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-11-21
Boss TALKS ABOUT
ORIENTAL LABOR IN
ISLAND AND.SIAIH

workmen into the United States would
lie called off," said a man who employs
considerable Asiatic labor, yesterday.
Perhaps 1t would not be a good thing
for the country itself or for the whit.
laborer or the japanese workman. but
1t would be great help and save money
for the plantation owners and other
employers of help. Personally, do
not advocate the invasion of foreign
laborers into this country. No true
American can favor the idea. But to
a certain extent and although even
now they are receiving almost little
more than what to white man would
be starvation wages, the Japanese are
becoming In way more Independent
than ever before. This Is especially
true of these Islands. If these little
fellows knew that they had opposition
In the Chinese we could get more work
out of them for less money than we are
paying now"
There have not been many labor
strikes to amount to anything lately"
continued the boss as he sat In his
comfortable chair and looked out upon
a bunch of idle Hawaiians in the
street. when these Oriental fellows
do strike. however. 1t costs us money.
We are compelled to hire natives and
Pay them nearly twice as much as pay
the japanese. But when we finally get
them back (they invariably return to
work for us, seldom gaining their
point we sometimes make them pay
for the trouble they have caused by
holding out ten or fifteen cents a day
have compelled them to consent to
this before putting them back to work.
My men, japanese, once quit because
I did not discharge a fellow workman
whom they disliked. Immediately
filled their places with Hawaiians and
in spite Of the fact that it was during
the sugar season, was Inconvenience
very little. After few weeks Of idle
ness one OF the leaders called on me and
offered $500. then $500 II would put
the gang back to work OF course
refused the offer. but | believe | could
have gotten at least $1,000 out of that
bunch of several hundred japanese.
Finally they went back to work and
repaid the company what the
other labor had cost II. each having
a few cents deducted from his daily in.
come.
The great jobs on these islands in
the eyes of the japanese laborers are
on the railroad. The company pays
them $32 month. Twenty dollars of
this and more Is left for the man to
spend for pleasure. or rather to gam
BILE away. japanese working for the
railroad company mostly live in tene-
ments. Their rooms in Honolulu cost
them 81 month. Their board only
amounts to 81. Usually the Jap fore
man conducts the place and get a small
rake OFF" out of the deal But It Is
never very much his countrymen
watch him close and should he en-.
deavor to make too much they would
Immediately hold an indignation meet
ing and get new commissary man.
ager.
These worfmen live mostly on rice
and fish. At noon in the little tin
buckets everybody has seen them car
rying they have a quantity of rice and
little piece of fried fish in the top.
Together with a bottle of water this
comprises their MONDAY meal. And
their supper is about the same. For
breakfast there is not much of a
change But they are satisfied; 1t is
Letter than they were used to in Japan,
where they worked harder, received
much less pay and less and poorer
food. Jobs on the railroad gangs are
in demand. Some Of the men have
been there for years. so they tell me.
They receive nearly twice the salary
that their brothers on the plantations
get and besides many of them live in
the city.
IN every gang of workmen there Is
an agitator; not necessarily one who
urges strikes, but who talks constantly
to the men and coaxes them not to
work too hard. This is usually lazy
fellow and ultimately he is discharged.
But usually some other man not fond
OF hard labor takes his place and our
contention with labor troubles, strike
or no strike, goes merrily on.
"A good japanese boss gets $l.75 per
day, He must be a worker though, and
besides talking to his men, keep them
hustling all the time. He Is generally
sort Of bully" and every last one
of the fellows under him Is scared to
death of his boss. But all these things
are only part of my troubles. | could
talk a year about them. The labor
question is too deep for me. am
nearly bald-headed now and I'm not
going to worry any more about 1t.
Smarter men are trying to settle it
and If | know anything about the mat.
ter they have got the biggest job Of
their lives on hand. II John Mitchell,
the coal miner, should visit the Coast
~ I1lo a. Ia.