The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-10-13
QUESTION OF
LABORER'S PAY

The, question of wages paid the jap
anese plantation laborers aud the
necessity or otherwise of increasing
them is being discussed in the local
Japanese press. In the English edition
of the Hawaii Shinpo, published yes
terday, excerpts from editorials of the
past week are given and the positions
of the two leading japanese papers, the
Shinpo and the Nippu, are explained.
The Shinpo's English article is:
"The Nippu is tossed in the pillow
over its hobby. That paper is gradu'
ally showing it's teeth and tusks. II
claims q superiority for Japanese ia
borers over Portuguese, Spanish aud
other races, and sneers at Mr.. w. o..
Smiths interview, which appeared Al
the Shinpo. Mr.. Smiths interview has
explained at length the situation in re-
gard to the sugar industry, with fore
east of possible tinkering with the
j tariff and the probable annexation OF
Cuba. The Nippu thinks that Mr.. Smilh
has been giving "a little toy to ohc
Japanese to play with and hold Their
attention, and that there is no indica-
ton on the part of the planters to raise
Japanese wages in spite of the enor-
nous profit they are making.
| "The same paper calls its next e,l;'
torial, which appeared last Tuesday,
A Just Claim, and says: 1--WE are not
asking of planters any unreasonable
thing. Injustice in the treatment of
the Japanese laborers in the hands of
planters is shown in that they are pay
ing less than Portuguese, Spanish "
Porto Rican, who are intellectually and
physically inferior to Japanese. The
planters are making enormous rroh;
from sugar, profit in which the Japan
csc laborers have a lust right TO ciaur
n share. We have been asking FOL
higher wages long rIouga' and have
been patient enough 30 wait for b.;
ter time, which has come. AND
now, If the planters cgn uot give us d
concession when goou times prevail
when will they ever do sol The Japan
ese will not tolerate foOiing with toys
any longer, but will see our .ilst c'ai;r
is conceded
"The same paper publishes another
article on the following evening, but
while throwing invectives at the plant
ers and the Shinpo for not exactly
agreeing with the Nippu's argument
and persisting in its habitual knocking
u
matter.
The Shinpo's Reply.
"The Hawaii Shinpo believes that
higher wages are coming, but it treat,
the subject from different standpoint
1t says: Higher wages will be wei
coined by the laborers as well as by al
: others, for it will bring better time
generally among the japanese. But
the paper continues, 'the higher wages
will not come, by reason of the Nippu I
. knocking or the knocking of any othe
paper, but because of an excess o.
demand over supply in the labor mar
ket, which is bound to come befor,
long. In view of the restriction placed
by the Japanese government upon emf
grafton and the excess of returning
japanese over those coming, condition
: will naturally arise when higher wage
. become inevitable. The Shinpo doe
not care whether or not Mr.. Smith
: interview was a mere toy to fool with
as the editorial of the Nippu contends
: 1t says: when the law of supply ant
demand is unbalanced, either an in
crease or decrease of wages will swing
!, the pendulum to its proper place anC
: if the present tendency is such as t,
produce an excess of demand over sup
l ply, then higher wages must com,
l whether the planters face calamit,
or not The Shinpo believes the tim
is approaching and does not see an,
necessity for knocking the laborinl
, class.
"The Shinpo on the contrary ques
o tons the wisdom of the attitude take
by the Nippu and says: the agitatio
u carried by the Nippu among the laboi
ing class is most unfortunate as it wi
, bring discomfort and uneasiness an
= may end in strikes and disturbances
,. There is nothing more harmful to th
. good reputation, our cOuntrymen ar
8 enjoying today as the result of the las
9 four years peaceful ana patient worl
g than the consequences of such agitf
T. ton. If an effort must be made, VIII
q does not our contemporary go aroun
and see the employers and tell thel
IS Of its opinion7' asks the Shinpo. u
g will bring about the results either on
d way or the other, and without impai
g, ing the reputation of our laborers,
REPUTATION which they won by the
good Judgment The Shinpo furthe
condemns the method pursued by til
Nippu and says: IF the present metl
cd is followed by the Nippu it wi
never bring satisfactory results, a
Y though the knocking may be nothiI
but the Nippu's abominable means
get little popularity among the /
boring classes and swell its now meag
SO subscription list.
GAS to the Nippu's contention TIN
Portuguese, Spanish and Others are i
tellectually and physically inferior
10 the japanese laborers, the Shinpo co
al tends sit is most unfortunate thiI
ID to bring the color line into an econ
y mic argument and especially in 60
ie mopolitan community such as this
g Such discrimination should never r
ceive consideration if advanced.
Al "Thc Hawaii Shinpo advises the ia
10 anese to beware of the foolish agit
g. ton, for it says, the solution of IL
st problems now pending between Japa
al and America demands most peacef
ID and friendly attitude on the part of Il
japanese in the Territory. "