Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-02
LABOR IN CANAL ZONE
SOME ASSERTIONS OF PoULTNEY
BIGELow REFUTED.

The isthmian carai commission is in re-
ceipt of letter from Chief Engineer Stew
ems at Panama, under date of February ~,
in which he gives some interesting figures
in regard to the arrival and departure OF
jamaican Iaborers on the isthmus for Dc
tober, November, December and January.
1t will be remembered that Poultney Bige-
low represented that these taborefs We're
returning In large numbers to Jamaica in
disgust because or the treatment which
they received on the isthmus. According
to the figures furnished by Mr. Stevens.
the excess of departures over arrivals from
neighborng islands in October and No
vember was 1856; in December the excess
was 31S. In January the excess of arriv-
ais over departures was j, I94. For the
four months the net excess of arrivals WAS
900 and during January l 1877 more people
came to the isthmus from Jamaica alone
than went away. There arrived from that
Island during January $3.50 and only $50
returned. All these came voluntarily, for
no effort has been made during this period
to induce laborers to come from Jamaica.
MIR. Bigeiow also said that the governor
of Jamfca was persuaded that the ne
groes on the isthmus were not honestly
or hunanely treated
A Jamaica Newspaper Comment,
Mr.. Stevens sends to the commission
copies of the Cleaner the leading newspa-
per of Kingston and the government or
gan, containing full reports of a special
commissioner who was appointed by Sic
j. Alexander Swettenham governor of ia
maica, to visit the isthmus and investigate
the matter. This commissioner reports
that the men are well treated and are well
ted, and in summing up the result of his
investigation says:
The iaborer can live decently and yet
save money in the zone. There is no rea
son why at the end of years work, ne
should not return to his native land with
few pounds, and If he is prudent after
laboring in the zone for two three years
he should be in a position to set up for
himself as an Independent peasant proprie-
tor in one of these islands; but he should
understand distinctly that he is going to
the zone to work and not to leaf, and that
the license which many sulkers now enjoy
in Panama will be put a step to at no very
distant date. The professional shirker Will
soon not be able to obtain employment In
the zone. lie Will be deported to his ma
tive land and will never again be allowed
to set foot in one of the camps
Doubts All Settled
In commenting on the commissions re-
ports, the Cleaner says editorally that
these special articles on the labor condi-
tons now obtaining on the lsthmus of Pan
anna must have settled once and for all
any doubts as to the propriety of allow
Ing our laborers to emgrate to the zone
The Cleaner goes on to say that it thinks
the Jamaican government made a mistake
in demanding repatriation fee of five
pounds for each laborer going to the zone,
saying: I'VE should waive the repatriation
fee in SO far as the canal commission is
concerned and should do so at the earliest
opportunity. We feel that the time has
come when the question OF emigration must
be regarded from the broad standpoint OF
public policy, and when we must cease
quibbing over minor points and come at
once to the main issue. In the light of
what We now know OF conditions in the
zone, are prepared or not to put un-
necessary hindrances in the way of emf
grafton"