Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-07
AFTER FOREIGN LABOR
Efforts to Bring immigrants to
the Rural Districts.
HIGH WAGES ON THE COAST
The President Will Send a Message
to Congress.
EXPECTATIONS TO HAWAII
Commissioner Sargent Believes That
the Recent Experiment VIII
Be Satisfactory.
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS,

hereafter to give the broadcast possible in
depreciation to ,the laws governing the ad-
mission Of aliens, In order to divert new ar
rivals so far as possible into the southern
and western states instead OF allowing them
to settle down in the 'overcrowded sections
of New York and other cities. The key to
the new policy is found in an opinion re-
Gently prepared by Charles Earl, solicitor
Of the Department of Commerce and Labor,
with the approval of Secretary Strauss le-
galizing the importation of five hundred or
more Belgians to work in the cotton mills
and on the plantations of South Carolina.
Mr.. Sargent, the commissioner Of immi-
grafton, will renew his recommendation to
Congress for the establishment Of state
agencies and bureaus of information at
Ellis Island. at which newcomers may learn
the exact localities where labor Is needed.
how to get there. what they will find to do,
the wages they may expect. cost Of living
and other facts necessary to enable them
to make up their minds whether the country
will suit them. Secretary Straus is much
interested in this subject and will encour-
age the officials of the different states, par
ticularly in the south, and give them every
opportunity possible under the law to turn
the tide of immigration in that direction.
High Wages in Coast States.
Notwithstanding SO much immigration:
dllnOu&n more IMAM one UlilllUIl
arrived in our ports last year. there
is scarcity of labor in every part of the
country, even In the Hawaiian Islands. The
greatest demand comes from the south At
lantic and gulf states and the Pacific coast.
In California. Oregon and Washington
many enterprises are arrested by the lack
Of workmen. Ordinary labor commands s.
and 81 a day; mechanics are paid $40 day
in San Francisco and some forms Of skilled
labor as high as $3.50 a day. Coachmen are
paid $75 and $50 month: cooks, buffers and
other house servants $50 and $50 month.
servants $35 and $40 month. Even with
those wages servants Of every kind are
scarce.
Special Message to Congress.
The President will send message on i'm
migration to Congress very SOON 1t is now
being prepared. It will be based upon re-
ports from Charles P. Neill commissioner
of labor, and James B. Reynolds, a settle
ment worker. who have been making inves-
legations in New York and other large cit
les and also In the factory towns of New
England and the south. Ex-Commissioner
Terence v. Powderly has been making an
investigation as to the causes that send so
many people to this country from Hungary,
Italy. Russia and other European countries.
and Commissioner Sargent has just return
ed from the Hawaiian Islands. where he
went to receive the steamship suveric.
which arrived at Honolulu December 1.
1905. laden with 1923 Portuguese immi-
grants from the Canary and Madeira Is
lands. These immigrants were induced to
come to Hawaii under circumstances SINH
lar to those attending the recent South
Carolina case. for by the previous con-
struction of the contract labor law and
other statutes referring to immigration.
governing the admission of aliens. they
would not have been entitled to land. But
the same broad policy that has been ap-
10 lad thn
President to send Mr.. Sargent over all the
way to Honolulu to report the facts.
Importation Of Portuguese.
Mr.. Sargent, In conversation yesterday.
said that all the leading industries Of the
Hawaiian Islands, and therefore the terri
tory itself. have been seriously embarrassed
for several years by the lack Of a reliable
laboring class. They have been compelled
to depend upon orientals, principally Jap
anese, who are Industrious and apt, but are
not stable and trustworthy. Moreover, the
demand for labor In the western states has
increased so enormously and the wages are
so high that many Japanese are leaving
Hawaii for the Pacific states.
above all else" continued Mr.. Sargent
1.-The Hawaiian people need a substantial
middle-class white population, which will
become attached to the soil and make good
permanent citizens. To supply this need
the legislature last year provided for the
immigration. E. R. Stackable and E. A.
Fraser were appointed agents to proceed to
Washington and, after consultation with
the bureau of immigration, to visit the
Azores with the object of securing ship
load of Portuguese farmers. Mr.. Stackable
and his assistant followed their Instructions
and then proceeded to London. where he
chartered the Suveric, vessel of 1000 tons.
With this vessel he proceeded to the Azores,
and making known the object of his visit
by newspaper advertisements and printed
circulars setting forth the advantages Of
fered to farmers and laborers in Hawaii,
succeeded in enlisting $50 emigrants at st.
Michael and 943 at Madeira. After an un-
evenful passage of f1fty-six days they
reached Honolulu on December 1.
Only One Rejected.
1.-The passengers were regularly examined
by sanitary officers. Only one was rejected.
because his mental condition seemed I'M
settled and he will be returned to his
former home Having been landed in legal
form, the immigrants were allowed to ac-
cept employment according to their own
wishes. No specific contract had been
made for any particular individual by any
particular firm, although Mr.. Stackable, as
agent for the territorial board Of immi-
grafton, had guaranteed that labor would
be furnishedto all of them at certain wages
upon their arrival
"a number of them had friends and
relatives already located in the island. and
were sent to the places where the latter
lived at the expense of the territorial I'm
migration fund. Many had addresses of
plantations which had been furnished them
by friends and relatives. Others, who had
no definite plans, were informed by the
board of immigration concerning condi-
lions and advantages offered by different
plantations and were allowed to make a
choice to where they would settle. The
distrb' ion was admirably managed. The
governor of the territory co-operated with
the immigration board in exercising every
precaution to see that no imposition was
practiced, and that the utmost freedom
was allowed the newcomers. Within
three days after their arrival most of them
were already located at their future homes
Before leaving Hawaii ! visited one of the
large plantations, where a number of the
new arrivals had settled. and they freely
expressed to me the satisfaction they felt
at having reached so beautiful q country
where the prospects were SO promising.
Very Important to Hawaii.
1.-The arrival of this shipioad Of Portu-
guese families" continued Mr.. Sargent
was matter of very great Importance to
the Territory Of Hawaii I'm satisfied that
they are desirable people and will make
epfa nd oIp