The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-26
WORK OF JAPANESE
EMIGRATION
Continued from Page one).

withdrawn this bounty. The emigration
companies, however, who are said to
possess powerful political Affiliations in
their own country-or operating under
the regular provisions of the Japanese
laws-almost completely shut off emil
grafton to Hawaii, so that only 367 Jap
anese entered the islands the following
year. By this measure they are said
to have forced the planters to subsidize
them, though if the assertions of the
opponents of the companies among the
Japanese themselves are true this mon
ey Is not really used to assist the labor
ers to reach Hawaii. Two agreements
between the Planters Association and
the emigration companies are said to
have been made since 1900. each cover
ing a period of two years. the terms of
which are not a matter of public knowl-
edge. 1t is rumored that when the last
agreement expired, i'm 1906 the Plant
ers' Association refused to enter into a
further compact with the companies.
The representatives of the companies
were reported to be i'm Honolulu in the
spring of 1905, but to have been unsuc-
cessful in what was termed "holding up
the planters" for a further subsidy. If
this change of policy on the part of the
planters has taken place, reason for
such action is to be found in the agi-
tation against the companies and their
methods which has recently started
among the Japanese in Hawaii, and
seconded to some extent by the press
of Japan; and in the further fact that
since the increased migration of Jap
anese laborers to California and other
parts of the Pacific coast the planters
have no hold upon the people whom the
companies send to Hawaii. Naturally
they have no interest in promoting emil
grafton from Japan to California by
way of Hawaii that justifes their
spending money for such a purpose.
The laborers coming to Honolulu
from Japan are not treated like free
immigrants upon their arrival, but are
carried directly from steamers to the
various plantations to which they have
been assigned. This custom, which ap-
pears to be a survival from the con-
tract-labor days, has called forth pro-
test from Japanese residents of Homo
lulu. In a sense, of course, it is a vol
untary matter with the immigrants
whether they go to the plantations o.
not, as no legal .compulsion can be
used to make them do so; but with ig-
norant lahorers methods which are not
strictly Illegal may be, in effect, coer-
cion.
The opposition to the emigration COM
panies and their methods which has
developed among the Hawaiian Japan
csc has led to the organization of a So
ciety known as the japanese Reform
Association" which is conducting an
active agitation with the object of in
fuencing the Japanese Government so
to amend the present laws as to allow
free emigration to Hawaii. In this eff
fort they have the support of a part of
the press of their own country. OF
course, the whole question of the organ
ization and their manner of doing bust
ness in their own country is a purely
domestic one with the Japanese people,
and any reforms must come from the
Japanese themselves. But the present
effects of the operations of the COM
panies and the probable results of a
change from regulated to free emigra-
ton are a matter of some concern to
Americans Undoubtedly the compa-
MES are interested in promoting emf
grafton to Hawaii, and as long as they
are in existence there is no reason why
they should not form some connection
with large employing interests upon the
mainland, similar to that said to have
been in force between them and the
Hawaiian Planters Association, and
thereby become a factor in increasing
the movement of labor from Japan to
California and other parts of the West.
They make their money out of emigra-
ton, and it must follow that they will
continue to use their influence to in
crease emigration to any place where
laborers are assured of a wage that
will enable them to repay their debts to
the companies On the other hand, the
companies, by their charges and COM
missions, have increased the cost of inn
migration for the laborer and it Is pos
sible that if they were out of the way
free emigration might exceed the pres
ent regulated emigration. consider
able part of the present migration from
Hawaii to California is voluntary and
unassisted, except that the laborers go
for the most part to practically assured
positions. Japanese residents of Ha-
wall, who are advocating the abolition
of the emigration companies, do not an
ticipate that such an action will seri-
ously interfere with the movement of
Japanese toward America.
So long as the planters substitute the
emigration companies they look upon