The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-06-19


answerab.e. 1t is certainly true that
the Pacific coast cities which so harsh
| ly criticize the japanese continue to
give him a job But in the rural
districts. especially in California. this
is rapidly changing Many fruit grow
ers this year are using white labor at
a greater cost in order to keep the
Japanese out of the community. The
railroads. However, stick 20 the prop
osition that the japanese labor is the
best they can get. and nearly ali OF the
section hands west OF the Missouri
river are japanese.
The ability Of the Japanese to accept
defeat and make the most Of situa-
ton was illustrated in an incieent
which occurred in Honolulu. A Japanese
importer was caught by the collector
Of customs in the act OF working out
a systematic differentiation OF mer-
chsndise coming in from Japan Japan
csc officials. steamship officers and
others were his accomplices. When he
was accused by the collector he pr0mpt
ly admitted his guilt, produced the true
Invoice for comparison with the false
and went his way. In few DAYS a
committee of japanese business men
came into the collectors Office to an
nounce that they had formed an a.
ISOLATION to assist the collector in the
work OF stamping out smuggling and
other frauds>on the customs. especially
among the japanese. The chairman
of the committee was the man who
had been caught in the fraud only a
few days before! He Gould see Moth
ing Inconsistent in his attitude. The
Japanese in America who was insisting
upon his rights with a loud voice a
few months ago is now talking about
Commodore Perry and traditional af-
lection. He knows how to accept de-
feat.
there is much talk OF the possible pO-
litical influence of the japanese in the
future, as the sons Of japanese i'm
migrants born on American soil are
citizens and will be voters The Jap
anese say that fear OF political IN
fiuence is foolish, even in Hawaii. be-
cause of the fact that the japanese
almost invariably returns TO his native
land after a few years. taking his fam
lily with him.
The intense patriotism OF the Jap
anese is such that he viii not even
pretend to any notion OF changing his
allegiance. On this account there has
been much objection urged against him
on the ground that, in time OF war.
he would rise against the United
States. The great japanese population
of Hawaii. composed largely OF vet
IT,
dangerous in case OF war. The tracks
and bridges OF all the continental rail-
road lines in America would be az the
mercy of the Japanese section hands
in event of war.
The high-class japanese business
man becomes impatient when these
fears are mentioned TO him. In Ha-
wall, 1t is pointed out. the Legislature
compelled all per sons to register Are
arms. ftNbeing the belief that the Jap
anese were thoroughly armed. The
result showed that fewer japanese
possessed firearms than any other race
of people. One japanese Of high stand
ing said: "As for spies-well that Is
merely a case Of some ignorant Jap
anese taking photographs for pleas
uIt > SAN he uDtcA hltOM II -
against the rules Of nations to take
pictures of fortifications. and when he
is arrested he doesn't know enough
English to make himself understood.
or to understand his captors. As for
the railroad laborers. they could not
hope to destroy railroad property even
in time of war without facing certain
capture and death 1t is entirely alb
surd to accuse these ignorant coolies
Of such high designs upon tn peace
Of the country which has given them
a chance to make good living"
In the end, now that the policy a
is adopted. the intelligent
Japanese of the western cities viii al
ways carefully explain that he fully
realizes that the objection to Japanese
is based upon economic
that there is no feeling ~
'acial antagonism. And then-he viii
declare that the heart OF the japanese
people pulsates with true love for the
Americans. that no matter how great
V Americans may misjudge them. the
TaHnese viii forgive ami love on
hat ever since Commodore Perry
lropped anchor, etc, etc.