The Washington herald., 1908-05-09
JAPANESE IN HAWAII
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Special Correspondence The Washington Herald
Honolulu, Hawaii. March 2s.-Hawaf i,
not an "insular possession, ike tn,
Philippines or Porto Rico. It Is as mucl
a part Of the United States as New
Mexico or Arizona. Notwithstanding its
purely American political status. the
question Of the hour In Hawaii is III,
Amerieanization Of the islands Why,
Because Hawaii, an American Territory
has a population OF 10000. of which l0O,0l
IS Oriental OF this number 75,000 are
japanese. The most spoken language il
the Territory is japanese. The most wide
spread religion is Buddhism. Apart from
the small communities in the towns the
social life of the islands Is Oriental
rather than Occidental
Those persons who believe that the op
position To Oriental immigration mani
Testing Itself among many white peoples
in various quarters of the globe is the re
suit Of a mere bugagoO. would do vel
to consider the case of Hawaii. brightes
Of Neptune's insuIar jewels. Every white
man in Honolulu will agree that the Jap
anese have driven the white artisan from
the islands. that the Japanese have MADE
it more difficult 70 persuade small farm
ers TO take up hOmesteads, and that tbs
japanese are now slowly. but surely
crowding out the white man from retail
business. They have already made a be
ginning in the wholesale business, and
have an eye on the immense trade ot
the big importing houses. The Chinese
came 10 Hawaii before the Japanese
Theyl were stopped by the annexation OF
the islands TO the United States, but
there are still 20000 of them here. They
have had their share OF retail meTchan-
dising. but they have ventured upon
nothing Ike the general campaign OF
competition which has been pursued by
the japanese.
When Hawaii was annexed to the United
States in 1898 there were many people here
who were annexationisJs merely for fear
Of Japan. The Tokyo government had
picked a quarrel with Honolulu, and there
was not the slightest doubt among the
japanese in Hawaii that the Rising Sun
flag would float over Honolulu Harbor
and advance the power Of Japan a long
step toward the rich OccideEt. The rails
ing Of the American flag put an end to
those dreams for a while, but the Japa-
nese continued TO reach out IN a business
way After awhile the government-in-
spired immigration companies made Ha-
waff merely a stepping stone 10 the richer
on the mainland Thousands
Of japanese came TO Hawaii under pass
ports permitting them 10 go no further
They STOPPED a few months, made enough
money for a suit OF American clothes
and the steerage passage TO San Fran
cisco. Then Hawaii saw them no more.
The poor. ignorant japanese coolies who
toll with their wives IN Hawaiian cane
fields must not be made 70 bear the whole
burden Of the blUnder Of permitting the
Hawaiian Islands to become Orieutaiized.
At first they came under contract as con-
tract laborers, IN other words. with little
more freedom than slaves. They were
brought here in The good old days OF the
TO work on the sugar plsnta-
tiOn-the same pianta tions which owned
their very being 70 the reciprocity treaty
with the United States Chinese. japanese,
South Sea islanders Porto Ricans, Span
ards. Portuguese. and many other nation
alities have been brought here to work IL
the cane fields. The Oriental labor was
found 10 be more 10 the liking OF the
planters, because It was cheap and easy
10 obtain, and because the co0lie is con-
tent TO remain a coolie.
But after awhile the coolies were fol-
lowed by japanese Of other classes, who
came to sell them goods. teach them
lessons. and guide their religion Ar
tisans and mechanics poured IN from
Japan. and the white mechanic took a
ship and sailed away. it is not only
that the japanese viii work for less
money than a white man. that he drives
his Western competitor from the field
The superior ability Of the white man
might make up for the difference in
wages. But the japanese lower the dig
nifty OF labor, and white men become
to earn their bread BY the
sweat of their brow. This has been the
case in all history. wherever a cheaper
and inferior labor has interfered with
latural conditions. A white boy In Homo
lulu would scorn to be seen pushing a
lawn-mower. because that IS a "Jap's
work" So it still is IN the Southern
States 10 some extent, where certain en-
ploymeuts are beyond the pale as mig
gers' jobs"
What Hawaii needs more than any
thing else is a solid middle-class Of white
reople Of European or American extrac-
ton All its public men recognize that
Imperative need, and are working 70
That end. although careful to say moth
ng against the japanese, who have
caused all the trouble, There are rea
sons for their cOnciliatoTy attitude. In
the first place II is not we'll to rouse the
ire Of half the population by introducing
& race question into a community where
there is room for q dozen such issues.
And then. too. the Japanese who were
born on the islands are citizens When
they reach twenty-one they viii have the
right 10 vote. Whether they viii gain
control OF affairs or not is not a question
for the immediate future, but it GER
,ainly viii not be long until they are a
potent factor IN politics.
But more potent even than this politi-
sal force. is the awe Of King Sugar. from
which no Hawaiian may declare himself
,ree The islands live by sugar. they
have sacrificed many things for sugar,
-he sugar barons are its business agents.
md sugar needs cheap labor. Even yet
he sugar planters, or some Of them,
nave hopes that the United States VIII
remove the restrictions from Chinese