The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-15
Labor Supply and Denanc--arndal the Law
S z. AEgonau+

f There IS a law On the United States
statute booiss foebdding an2body 10
bfing Iaborers INTO the country under
contract u empIoymen5: and We hear
good deal OF this law from time 20
time from labor agigatoas ami others.
+ At ali the great ports OF the country.
/ Including san Francisco. the govern
ulent maintains vigilanr system IF
inspection among other Things. Tor the
purpose of enforcing the auti-eortraet
lew above named. And yet. two years
ago. veflep the sabor shortage in South
Carolina became gfievols. Cue TO tine
tendency Of the biae4ss 10 abandon
industry and take 10 vaeabond ways
Of life the authorities AZ Washington
consented to an arrangement by winch
the Carolinian manufacturer enfIoV=-
ed an immigration 5hureau and sent
agents 10 Europe. where some ti1ou-
sands 81 working people Of bocf sexes
were picked up and brought over undeT
contracts covering tire cost OF their
passage. with promise o. work upon
their arrival To-day there are in va
rinus parts OF South Carolina some
thousands nj persons working nntter
these contracts. in open disregard OF
a plain law. but with the knowledge
and approval ri the state and the
United States governments.
Again, there mas been nov for three
or -four years a continuous labor fam
ine in the Hawaiian Islands. The ma
tives nave either died out or beconre.
worthless in the Industries OF the
country Japanese nave come in IN
predictions numbers, nut SO many have
passed on tu the american mainland
particularly TO CSalifornia--as To-
leave the island planters desperately
shy in the matter IF field hands. Aa--
wall baing an American TerrItory and
duly subieet to the national statutes, is /
definitely prohibited from importing
laturers under contract. Nevertheless, /
in this case, as III that Of South Caro-
lima administrative authority al
Washington has practically nultified
che law in response to a supreme need
backed by a universal demand. With
the consent of the government autfor-
titles at Washington. the Hawaiian
planters last year sent agents to
Spain and brought over q shipipad of
men. who were quickly distributed /
tilroughoue ,the industrial district This
relief being Relatively slight. the bust 4
being prosecuted actively.
We note these instances bscause they !
tend TO illustrate q broad fact. name
". that whenever q serious public
need runs foul uf 9 prohjbTtory law. !
the law has TO give way; for 40 mat /
ter by what names YOU call them or
by what sanctions you Justify them, or #
by what circumstances YOU surround
them laws are mere eobvebs which
must be brushed aside when the mo- /
uiyes Of necessity beoefne insistent. II
Will be SO In California when our tabor
condition already very serious. shall
take another tetrn to the had. The ag-
rricuttural producers eff California are
finding ii difficult, and in special sea
sons and at special places impossible, \
to find hands for the work to Ibe done 4
Only last week the Asrgonstelt was In
formed by an Intelligent observer in
the orchard and vineyard district OF
which Yuha City is tue center that
the country is actually suffering Tor
the commodity VI labor. Two months
ago we We're informed that q fruit
eaEnery at Los Gates IL Santa Clara
County. WAS compelled to shut down
because there We're not aNaiIabIe g