The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-12-15

the wages paid the Japanese laborers
from SIS a month to S22.50 a month
From a resolution adopted at the Jap
anese meeting last night.
We are not considering any move
ment towards an increase Of the wages
paid the japanese on the plantations
w. O. Smith, secretary of the Hawai-
ian Sugar Planters Association.
The twenty-siX japanese who pre-
sented themselves at the meeting call
cd for last night by Fred Makino and
G, Ncgoro, to consider taking action
to bring about an increase in the plan.
tation laborers' wage scale, deliberated
for couple of hours and finally de,
cided to call q mass meeting of the
Japanese of Honolulu to adopt reso'
luton demanding from the planters an
Immediate increase in wages of twenty.
five per cent. This increase is to do
for n starter.
To prepare the resolution a commit.
tee of twenty was named, and these
were instructed to make haste in the
matter in order that the blow may be
struck while the iron is hot. The reso-
luton. which was debated over last
night will review the whole labor sit.
nation, compare the labor supply with
the demand, present statistics of the
cost of living in Hawaii now with the
cost of the past several years, and
will dwell with emphasis on the amount
received by the plantation stockhold'
ers this year in the way of dividends
and bond interest.
Last night S meeting, which was ex-
peeted to have been several times bet
Ter attended, was presided over by
Mr.. Maxine, the secretary being Mr..
Negoro There were as many speakers
to present reasons why wages should
90 up without delay as there were
persons present. and the whole situa-
ton from the standpoint of the ones
who expect to get the laborers money
after the laborers have earned 1t, was
gone over There was some reference
to the right of the laborer to the whole
fruit of his toll and some declaiming
against the unearned riches of the cap
italist but on the whole neither social
ism nor demagogy was very evident
The sneakers didn't want the labor
ers to get all the sugar profits, only
twenty-five per cent. more than they
have been getting. There was no ret-
erence beyond the vaguest OF any
threat to agitate a strike.
The date for the mass meeting, winch
is to be held at Aala Park, was not
set. but it will be some time IN the
near future if arrangements are pos
sible.
Jill Advises a Strike.
The Nippu Jill, the Honolulu organ
of the Japanese radicals, is advising
the Japanese laborers to either strike
for bigger wages or do less work than
they are doing for their present pay,
The Jill editorally expresses n pref
erence for the latter course, although
quoting from the campaign speeches of
President Roosevelt and President-elect
Taft to show that to strike Is proper
on the part of laborers in industrial
disputes.
The paper compares the average pay
of the Japanese, SIS month, to th'
pay of the Portuguese and Spanish Ia
borers. So. 80 a month and house ant
an acre of land, claiming that the Jap
anese does as much anu, generalll
more work a day tdrI :he' white Ia
borer. On this showing the JiJi edltol
advises his countrymen tn do only haii
as much work each day as they have
been doing and thus equalize matters
In this way, he argues the plantations
will be forced to give the higher wages
demanded. $751;,
nThe people in one voice demand
better pay" he says in concluding his
article, land the voice of the people
is the voice of God. If the planters
refuse to listen to the voice of the peo-
ole. upon them will descend the curse
of Cod
No Increase Contemplated.
The trustees of the Planters Asso-
citation held meeting yesterday morn
ing, but, according to the report given
out by w. o. Smith, the secretary, the
meeting had to do only with questions
of the tariff. No question of japanese
wages was considered.
HWe are aware of the present agita
tion among the Japanese" said Mr.
Smith Yesterday afternoon, "but we do
not think it win amount to anything
Yes, | know that one Japanese paper il
advising the laborers to strike, but th'
matter has not been taken up by us IL
any way. We are not considering an,
movement toward an increase in tn
wages paid the japanese on the planta
tions.'
In an afternoon paper, Mr.. Smith j
quoted as stating that .'the labor stu
alton looks encouraging from the worl
that Mr.. Trenor is doing to obtain Eu
ropean labor from the mainland
Meeting Was Not Representative.
The meeting held by the .Japane'
last night was not one representatlN
of the leading elements among the ii
nolnlu japanese, the majority of who
are not in favor of meeting the presel
situation with any talk of strikes
with any arbitrary demands. Tho
present last night were for the mo
part representatives of the Nippu Ji
and local hotelkeepers. No promine
japanese merchants or professional m,
were there.
The japanese community is united
the belief that an increase in the wag
of the plantation laborers must
made, but the majority wish to seti
the matter in diplomatic way and
manner to avoid even the appearan
4 l..