The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-24

There are new signs of weakening
among the Japanese striking laborers
of the various plantations. If the Wal
p amaze laborers return to work this morn
ing as they have already intimated
they would do, there is a likelihood
that this move will have much infiu-
ence on others. However, the Nippu
.]iji 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 lust
now disturbing the business element
IN the japanese colony. The Japanese
Merchants Association, composed of
the wholesale dealers of Honolulu. held
a secret meeting yesterday afternoon
to discuss the situation, in which the
merchants are heavily involved finan-
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 I'M
able or unwilling to pay the whole
sale merchants. This throws the fnan-
cal 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 close
observer, said yesterday:
Yes, 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 were paid to the
japanese laborers, and we showed svn-
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 coneiliatory spirit on the part of
tne laborers, and we now~realize that
TINS advice was good. There is no
question, to my mind, but that nearly
all Japanese viii come to the same
conclusion when they cool down. T
feel sorry that we permitted student
and politician to lead the Japanese
community and direct all affairs vitality
affecting our interests. However there
is no use crying and we are doinp all
that we can to adjust things.
cone thing the laborers think thew
have gained already, and this outside
of the meddling of Maxine and Ne
goro, Is money enough to form
a strong labor union. Some say that
the fund will amount to between $780,
600 and 100000 but / doubt this very |
much. The laborers may be contribut |
ing to the fund, but you must under !
stand that it the agitators are straight |
about it, this is to be used mainly for /
maintenance of the idle strikers and |
their families. If a proper accounting /
of this money can be made and an
adjustment of affairs effected in a |
short time, there NAV be fund to start |
the labor union. We don t know if )
the Hawaii Shinpo is for or against |
the labor union proposition and L am
not in position to discuss the pros
and cons of such step.
"The sooner the strike comes to an
end the better it will be for every one
concerned and for the general eommu-
NIFTY We businessmen cannot long
stand for such a state of affairs as
now exists -
After Waimanalo Now.
The Nippu s incendiary writing con-
FInues from day to day Its attacks
are mainly upon the Hawaii Shinpo S
eedltor, but it is also roasting decent
Japanese employees of the plantations :
Ii seews now that the Nippu's tao I