The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-02-15
AGENTS SHOW
NO INTEREST

The news that President Roosevelt
and the San Francisco delegation ha'
reached an agreement on the schoo
question and that an amendment t
the treaty would be made 80 that Japa
nese coolies would not be allowed t.
come to the mainland from Hawaii ha
not caused ripple of excitement il
this city. The men most interested il
having the labor express indifference
Mkt Saito, Imperial Japanese Consul
was not at his Office when reportei
for the Advertiser called for an ex
preston Of opinion on the subject bu
from one of the office staff it would
appear that no official advices hav,
been received there.
"We have heard nothing" the gen
tleman remarked, "and know nothing
more than appeared in the Advertiser
this morning. l feel inclined to doubt
the authenticity of the dispatch fol
the reason that / do not believe an
agreement could have been reached on
any such basis.
$50 far as Japan is concerned / do
not think it will make any material diff
ference except as a matter of prin-
ciple because the japanese Government
is opposed to its people going to the
mainland at present. Prior to year
ago the passports always read This
person goes to Hawaii Since that
time, there have been numerous COM
plants OF the shortage of labor here
and the wording has been changed to
read, This person goes to Hawaii on
ly.' But that has not had the desired
effect. AS the citizens Of Japan have
left the jurisdiction of that govern
ment, it has no hold upon them and
they 60 where they will. A short time
ago, about the time the demand for
Japanese labor increased in California,
our Consul sent to all the islands and
through private messengers instruction,
or advice, to the laborers not to leave
Hawaii at the present time. That has
had some effect upon them for the great
majority of Japanese going to the Unit
ed States from Hawaii are immigrants
of recent arrival.
"The dispatch relative to the re-
striction of the japanese may not be
correct for the reason that we have
been of the opinion that the affair in
San Francisco would first have to be
settled. We can not tell at this dis
lance, and in the absence of informa
ton from our ambassador, what has
been done, if anything"
Among those directly interested in
plantation labor there seems to have
been little interest taken in the dis
patch and the lack of interest would
imply another source of labor supply.
The fact that the recently arrived Por-
tuguese have proven satisfactory on
all of the plantations, Notwithstanding
the fact that they probably brought
the measles with them, has set the
germ of independence at work among
the employers and with the Spaniards
on the way the planters have, reason to
feel Indifferent.
81 have not had time to more than
glance at the dispatch,' said f. d.
Tenney, manager of Castle and Cooke,
land have not, therefore, formed any
opinion. Thinking it over I would
say it is extremely doubtful that any
such arrangement has been reached and
if it has been / doubt if the Japanese
Government would consent. The Japa-
pese school question will probably have
to be settled first. If it should prove
correct it would be a good thing for
the country"
Down at w. G. Irwin & Co.'S almost
the same feeling was apparent Mr..
Ivers, who has had lot of experience
with labor on the plantations, said,
when spoken to:
cit is too good to be true. The
settlement of the case in San Fran
cisco, would say, would have to come
first. 1t is true that the japanese
Government has done its part to keep
the japanese laborers from going to
knowing Hawaii needs them
here. Japan will do everything posi- |
BILE to reach a peaceful settlement of
all difficulties with the Californians
and / hope they will be successful. |
Hawaii wants the labor and If this
amendment goes through we
will probably get what We want. 1t
will mean that the number of Japa. |
nese arriving here will be materially |
reduced because when they know they
can not get into the United States
they will not leave home. In little
while, however, the immigration will
increase for there are thousands Of the
coolie class who will be glad to go
anywhere TO earn more money than
they can at home and Hawaii offers
the attractions.