The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-05-25

There are new signs of weakening
among the Japanese striking laborers
of the various plantations. If the Wal
amaze laborers return to work this morn
ing as they have already intimated
they would do, there Is likelihood
that this move will have much influ-
ence on others. However, the Nippu
Jill and Maxine and his subordinates
are trying to involve Waimanalo plan
tation in the strike and to that end
are vilifying the Japanese head luna
there.
But back of all the strike there is
the commercial feature which Is just
now disturbing the business element
in the Japanese colony. The Japanese
Merchants Association, composed of
the wholesale dealers of Honolulu, held
secret meeting yesterday afternoon
to discuss the situation, in which the
merchants are heavily involved fnan-
cially.
AS result of the strikes at Wal
pahu and Aiea, all the small retail
stores in these places are threatened
with ruin, and the storekeepers are un-
able or unwilling to pay the whole.
sale merchants. This throws the fnan-
cial burden of the strike upon the
wholesalers who, in turn, may have
obligations of their own to meet.
May Form Labor Union.
A Japanese merchant who is a close
observer, said yesterday:
eyes, we are beginning to realize
what these strikes mean to us, though
the realization comes too late. There
is no denying it that many of us
thought that better times would come
when better wages We're paid to the
Japanese laborers, and we showed sym
pathy with the agitation IN its first
stages, but we realize that we have
to take about $4,000 or $4,000 risks
as the result of the Waipahu and Aiea
strikes. This is intolerable to us and
we are really in earnest now to make
peace
"One of the Japanese newspapers
advocated moderation and the display
of a concilatory spirit on the part OF
the laborers, and we now realize that
this advice was good. There is nc
question, to my mind, but that nearly
all japanese will come to the same
conclusion when they cool down.
feel sorry that we permitted student
and a politician to lead the japanese
community and direct all affairs vitally
I affecting our interests. However. there
is 40 use crying ana we are doing al
that we can to adjust things.
some thing the laborers think they
have gained already, and this outside
of the meddling of Maxine and Ne
goro, is money enough to form
strong labor union. Some say tina
the fund will amount to between $50,
600 and 10000 but | doubt this yer,
much. The laborers may be contribut
| ing to the fund, but you must under
stand that if the agtators are 8traigh
about it, this is to be used mainly fo
maintenance of the idle strikers AM
their families. If a proper accounting
of this money can be made and a.
adjustment of affairs effected in
short time, there NAV be fund to star
the labor union. We don Z know i
the Hawaii Shinpo is for or agains
the labor union proposition, and i al
not in position to discuss the pro
anu CONS VI SucH d sup.
"The sooner the strike comes to a
end the better it will be for every on
concerned and for the general commr
nifty. We businessmen cannot Ion
stand for such state of affairs a
now exists
After Waimanalo Now.
The Nippu IS ncendiary writing col
} tinues from day to day. Its attack
are mainly upon the Hawaii Shinpo
editor, but it is also roasting deeer
Japanese employees OF the plantation
1t seews now that the Nippu's la
ties are first to roast these Japanef
who hold conservative ideas, bar the
out from among the laborers, and the
deluge the locality with incendiary Ii
erature. Such methods were used I
= Aiea and Waipahu and practically
all other places these brewed !
discomfort The Nippu is trying
! work up Waimanalo plantation as j
next ground of attack. A Japane
+, head luna, Mr.. Muraoka, is being roas
ed now. The article in the NipI
is considered by many as strong enous
to be libelous.
Game to Town With Horns.
Headed by a band of five or 3
horns and endeavoring TO make a b
i show. about 800 japanese arrived
b town yesterday afternoon from Ws
Q pahu. They were strikers and We
a met at the railroad station by a d
: putation of agitators, strikers al
sympathizera. AS soon as the bal
o struck up the big crowd surToundii
q the Aala baseball field melted awl
and crowded around the station.
= local japanese swelled with pri
|, when he saw the big mob around a
could not be persuaded that Il "
"a baseball crowd Just over to take
II any new excitement The strike
10 We're marched 10 King street and IN
a. np Aala street where they had a 10
a al the headquarters and the baaa
tice labeled for their use,