The Washington times., 1908-12-12
PLANNING TO SEND
LABORERS TO HAWAII
Meeting Held to Devise
Scheme TO Attract
Italians.
UNITED STATES
TO GIVE SUPPORT
Climatic Conditions Suited tc
Labor Born in
Italy.

Through a meeting held IN the Office
Of the Secretary OF the Interior, the
United States has given its moral sup
port 10 a plan Of the Hawaiian gov
ernment to ''Americapize" the labor OF
the island. The meeting was attended
by Secretary Garfield, Governor Frear
OF Hawaii. Ernesto Fabri, formerly a
partner of J. P. Morgan, and now secre-
tary Of the society of Italian immi-
grants at New York, and John J. d.
Trenor, agent OF the board OF immigra-
ton OF the Territory Of Hawaii.
Some Sc per cent Of the agriculture
OF the islands IS devoted to sugar. The
labor comes from all nationalities, but
includes a preponderance o. Orientals,
chiefly japanese
American Basis.
The desire of the government Is to
introduce a class Of men and women
who shall remain permanent residents
and build a strong foundation, on an
American basis, for the great prosperity
which Hawaii Is destined TO enjoy after
the Panama Canal is opened. The
islands will lie directly In the path Of
three-quarters OF the commerce OF the
world, and a future Is in store for this
most beautiful spot in the Pacific Of
which its early colonists never dreamed.
The plans OF the Government TO at
tract American labor are not fully
formulated. but in their rough outline
they appear TO offer inducements supe-
rior TO any ever before held out to the
working man and his family. For ex-
ample, each certified man on arrival
viii be assigned a plot OF land, on
which the Government VIII erect a sub
Stantial house for his occupancy. Fires
never are used for heating on the ISL
ana. but the labOrer will be supplied
free with fuel for cooking, medicines,
hospital service. and other likely neces-
sites which he could not otherwise easl-
y provide for himself. At the end OF
three years. provided he has served
faithfully, the house and lot will be-
come the laborers own property.
Familiar Work
The work Of cultivation is that 20
which the immigrants most desired are
accustomed at home. Italians are the
favored race, partly because Of the sim
iiarity Of the climate to their. own An
other reason is, as stated. that they are
accustomed to work in the fields; and
a third. which appeals 10 the Italian
leaders in the United States, Is that
they deprecate the tendency Of this ma
turaliy open air people 10 swarm 10 the
American cities and there suffer the
disease and death which are incident
20 the close life of great municipalities.
Each immigrant viii cost the Govern
meat about SIO0 for transportation.
Contrary TO what may be the popu-
lar notion, the American sugar trust
has no holdings in the Hawaiian Islands.
1t buys the product. in the form OF
raw sugar, but the plantations are own
ed and managed by stock companies
whose investors represent capital in all
parts OF the world. Only one sugar re-
fnery is maintained, on the island OF
Oahu. The Hawaiian planters are fear
ful OF any reduction OF the American
duties on sugar, for they say that the
cost of freight on a ton Of sugar to New
York is $3.50, while Porto EiCan and
Cuban sugar comes here at something
like $50 q ton. Any further reduction
Of the sugar duties, the Hawaiians say,
would wipe out their industry