The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-28
CONDITIONS IN HAWAII.
Senator w. p. Dillingham; Describes
the Labor Conditions In the Islands
Sugar Raising the Chief Industry
Labor Conditions Discussed.

Labor Conditions Discussed.
Senator w. P. Dillingham;, who has
just returned from a visit to the Ha-
waiian Islands, where he has been
investigating conditions relating to
immigration, Is spending few days
at the Waterbury Inn and was seen
there Friday by a representative
of the Journal. The Senator said that
the labor conditions in the Hawaiian
Islands are the result of development
of that region under the monarchy
before annexation TO the United
States.
These islands are especially adapt
ed to the production of sugar, and as
the native population is not available
for labor on the plantations in the
past it has been necessary to obtain
labor from China and Japan. The
census of 1900 shows clearly the pre-
dominance of the Asiatic races in the
islands. The total population at that
time was $4,000, and of this popula-
ton there were 29,799 native Hawai-
ians, and 1857 half breed Hawaiians.
The Caucassians numbered 28,S19,t the
Chinese 25,767, the Japanese Gill,
the South Sea Islanders Ais and the
negroes 233, The total value Of all
crops In 1900 was s21,292, 422 and Of
this total the amount of sugar produc-
ed was $1S,762,96 Thus it will be
seen that industries other than sugar
raising are few.
The great trouble in the labor sit
uation arises from the fact that when
the islands were annexed to the Uni
ted States our exclusion law shut out
Chinese and Japanese laborers and
this has caused dearth of labor on
the sugar plantations since Owing
to climatic and other conditions white
labor cannot be secured by the plan
ters. The Immigration Committee
will secure from business men and
consuls, statistics in detail, up to the
present time, applying to the situa-
ton. The great problem is to secure
class of people who will work on
sugar plantations. Another problem
is 10 secure the immigration OF race
readily Americanized, which will take
up the public lands offered as home
steads. The purpose IS to secure a
diversification Of agriculture At the
present time, little is being done IN
the way of raising rice, tobacco, cot
ton, etc. Great improvements in the
way of transportation are needed, in
GLIDING the building of railroads. The
natives are friendly and easily influ-
enced. One prominent man said that
If 1000 good American families could
be brought to the Islands. they could
control Hawaiian politics.
Senator Dillingham; was greatly I'M
pressed by the excellent style and
organization OF the plantations. These
plantations include from 1000 to 49,
900 acres. Some planters expend as
much as 100000 a year for the pur-
pose of investigating and obtaining
proper fertilizers. They also employ
entomologists to secure insects which
will destroy certain pests. One plan
tation has pumping system big
enough to supply water for the city
OF Washington. The capital invested
in these plantations comes from all
parts of the world. Big sugar REIN
cries are established on nearly all of
as much as half million dollars.
After visiting his son at San Fran
cisco, Senator Dillingham; spent few
days in New York before returning to-
Vermont