The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-04-02
NOTICE SERVED
UPON PLANTERS

IN the English columns OF the Hawaii
Shinpo. In effect it is warning no.
tice served on the planters that their
japanese laborcrs have the whip hand
under the new immigration law and
will use it If they think they are not
getting fair treatment. To put it in
another way, the professional Japa-
nese labor agitator is given a cue to
make trouble. This is the article:
Every change of conditions entails
new responsibilities. This fact is es-
pecially true of the new immigration
provisions enacted by the United
States, in relation to the Japanese i'm
migration. As the dominant class in
the Hawaiian Islands, the sugar planters
naturally have the greater part of that
responsibility thrown upon them. 1t is
with the desire of impressing upon the
planters that fact and acquainting
them with what, to our mind will be
the most effective means of dealing
with such matters, that we will offer
them some advice.
"It will be readily recalled by peo-
pie of these lands and the plantation
interests especially, that up to about
three or four years ago, the community
was constantly annoyed by strikes
among the Japanese laborers on the
plantations. Disconten tment among the
Japanese laborers was rife and it found
expression in constant labor troubles.
Often the strikers forced concessions,
frequently the plantations won, over
the discontinued faction. But whatever
the result was, it inevitably caused an
unsettled condition in sugar securities.
But about three years ago change
in conditions occurred. That change
resulted in a subsistence of the express
sion of discomfort among the Japanese
laborers. The Japanese learned that
they could leave these islands and seek
employment on the mainland. They
took advantage of this opportunity.
Th1tci IniS cAtenueu HoNelneuJ VI Jdpd-
nese toward the mainland of the Unit
ed States began, the strikes decreased.
The explanation is self-evident.
''Prior to the Japanese learning THAT
they could leave these islands at will,
and secure employment elsewhere, they
felt that indirectly they were under
he domination of the planters. The
aborers were not actually contract en-
ployes but practically, they were at
The mercy of the sugar plantations,
because if the conditions were not
only two courses were pos
'ible, either to remain here and try to
light it out, or else to return to Japan.
Naturally, they remained and the only
opposition that they were able to offer
vas to 60 on strikes. When the Japa-
lese learned that they could go to
he mainland, affairs changed COM
'letely. They realized that if local
conditions were unsatisfactory, the
most satisfactory manner of securing
change, was to leave the islands en-
rely and seek employment on the
mainland. They did not see the use
f engaging in the extended strikes
hat had formerly marked their con-
uct, as the solution of their difficult
les was found on the mainland.
"But the new immigration regula-
ons have changed that condition and
rought the japanese and the planta-
on interests into precisely the same
cations that existed prior to the
igration of the laborers to the Pa
fc coast. The Japanese realize this
let and already, they are watching
18th jealous eye, the policy that the
Igar interests will pursue toward
lem.
at is our desire that repetition
the former unsettled conditions, be
'oided. We, therefore, offer some
questions to the planters, the most
aterial of which is, to treat the Japa-
,se laborers fairly. 1t is not fair to
e Japanese to pay them less wage
an is given other classes of laborers
the plantations. Their present scale
wages should be raised to a parity
TIL other plantation laborers. The
panese believe that they are entitled
the same treatment in this respect,
tn other races and unless such con-
leration is shown them, spirit of
scontent will be aroused among the
panese. Unsettled conditions, unfor-
nate and Improbable alike to both
Q laboring and the plantations inter
IS, will inevitably arise. We think
at it would be well for other plan
lions to follow the example of the
aialua plantation, where the Japa-
Sc have been given an opportunity
securing land, along with other
sses of labor. If the plantation in
ests will but show the same just
atment to the Japanese, that is
zen to other laborers, the Japanese
i continue to be steady, hard