The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-04
Unwise to Go to Hawaii.

Unwise to Go to Hawaii.
It is universally known that native
agricultural labor throughout these
islands is not only scarce, but difficult
the Iloilo Star. Every year recruiting
agents are sent into all the interior
provinces and inducements offered to
obtain laborers for the haciendas. When
they, the laborers, arrive at their des-
tination, fully % per cent. desert or
find some excuse for not fulfilling their
contract.
Here, they are among their own
people, speak their mother tongue, en-
joy their cigarettes, gambling, easy
times, and, in word, are never work
ed to death. No severe restrictions of
stated hour for labor, no fines for petty
Irregularities, they are within easy
reach of their native towns, and, taken
altogether, they are well satisfied.
The cry of scarcity of native labor
has always been heard, and more SO
since the Philippine railway construc-
ton has induced thousands to work by
offering larger wages. With a higher
wage, the cost of producing sugar must
necessarily be higher, and consequently
the gain less.
In view of all this, how is it consist
ent for the natives who represent the
masses to knowingly consent to such a
wholesale emigration of their own peo-
ple9 Can not they see through the
whole matter and judge for themselves
what terrible injury they are thus
allowing to be perpetrated2
The Hawaiian planters are million
aires-they have one end in view-to
get labor at any price to supplant the
japanese. The policy of firing out the
Japs is wise, but the idea of robbing
these islands Of native labor, because
Portuguese; Italians, Chinese, and jap
anese have been tried and found unde-
sirable, is not.
Let them try some other foreign
help, all the natives in the Philippine
Archipelago are wanted right here. Or,
better still, let them get an account of
the life, strict regulations, fines and
unknown and manifold troubles which
have befallen those laborers who are
already in the Hawaiian Islands, and
publish it broadcast. Let the account
be truthful and written by the native
himself and not by the Hawaiian press,
or interested agricultural millionaires.
Even now it is not TOO late to stop this
wholesale emigration and explain clear
ly that those who will 60, knowing
what they have to meet with, do so at
their own risk and peril.
Lot of Hawaiian Labor.
| Filipinos who are thinking of enter
ing the service of the sugar planters OF
Hawaii might profit by the experience
of the spaniards who were induced by
the Territorial immigration Bureau tt
1 take IlPlT IdmIilGS To IudI COuubIy uA
der expectation of finding remunera
| tive employment on reasonable terms
with the sugar planters of the Islands
There were about 700 families alto
gether arrived in Honolulu from Spain
in April two years ago. 1t was under
stood, the laborers say, that they wer
TO have work on very satisfactor.
terms. The prospect to them was mos
alluring. There were no contracts, o
course, and the laborers had nothini
but the word OF the immigration agen
to warrant their going to Hawaii. Tha
is very much the same condition tn
emigrating Filipino finds himself /
now. The story of the subsequen
plight of these Spanish immigrant
should make the Filipino hesitate BIZ
fore committing his fortunes to tn
care of the immigration agent.
Here are some of the favorable term
t said to have been held out by the agent
, that invaded Spain: The working da
: was to be not longer than ten hours
the laborer was TO receive $40 pc