The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-04-05
ROOSEVELT REFUSES
TO MEET POPE Plus.
WHAT RUSSIANS
SAID IN JAPAN
Knew Prevailing Wage and Had
Been Advised to Work as La
borers at the Outset.

Interviews with a number of the
Russian immigrants, secured while
they were en- route to Hawaii by the
correspondent of the New York Herald
at Yokohama, give further evidence
of the fact that the Russians came here
with their eyes open to the true condi-
ton of affairs. Some slight confusion
appeared to exist in regard to the leas-
ing of land from the corporations, to
be worked as cane land for the plan
tations, this coming, evidently, from
terms offered Russian immigrants some
years ago by the Castle interests in
Kona. The New York Herald inter
view and the correspondent Is comments
are here given:
YOKOHAMA, February 26.-That
the emigration of Russian farmers from
eastern Siberia to Hawaii gives prom
Use of assuming quite large proportions
is the opinion of not only the emigra-
ton agents who are promoting the
movement but of many substantial
emigrants who, acting upon advices re-
ceived by them from many Of those
who are now in Hawaii, have them
selves Joined the movement.
The Pacific Mail steamer Mongolia
brought more than three hundred of
these Russians Ell route for Hawaii.
In view of the reports which have re-
Gently been circulated in East Siberia
to the effect that previous batch Of
emigrants had reason to repent of the
step they had taken, thought it might
be interesting to make few personal
inquiries from members of this latest
party.
was surprised to find in the party
a number of fairly well to do Russians
with their families who were proceed
ing to Hawaii not with any intention
of becoming common laborers, but
rather with the idea of buying land
and cultivating small farms on their
own account The majority were, how.
ever, of the laboring class, and appear
ed as a rule eminently strong and
healthy and in every respect desira-
BILE element with which to settle the
islands.
The cmigrants were being conveyed
free of charge from Hardin to Hawaii,
and had been guaranteed work on the
plantations at an average wage of for
ty rubles-about 500 month. The
men are offered the option of renting
land from the planters, together with
all necessary agricultural implements
and materials for houses for pcolong-
ed term and at fixed rate. The crops
raised on the lands thus leased must be
sold to the company of planters, but at
the market price. At the outset the
settlers are advised to work for wages
until they become thoroughly familiar
with the local conditions. 1t is stipu-
lated that the settler who has received
an advance from the planters may re-
pay the amount with personal labor If
it is inconvenient for him to do so in
hard cash.
Individual members of the party
said they heard complaints from previ-
Gus settlers, but, ON the other hand,
| they were also in receipt of very salts
factory reports from friends who had
preceded them. They were all of the
| opinion that if the promises held out
are fulfilled the emigration from east
ern Siberia to Hawaii is destined to
become large.
1t was not surprising to hear that
the Russian authorities in East Siberia
and North Manchuria do not regard
this movement very complacently.
These claim that in the majority Of
cases these settlers were originally
brought out from European Russia at
the expense of the Russian government
with the object of colonizing this part
of Russia's vast dominions, as a sort
of dam against the inflow of Chinese
immigration from the south. Many OBJ
stacles were placed in the way of the
emigration agents before they could
obtain permission to ship their charges
out of the country, while the police
authorities exhausted their verbal
powers in vain endeavor to persuade
the emigrants to reconsider their de-
termination and to remain In Siberia,
II being pointed out to them that in all
likelihood they were betaking them
selves out of the frying pan into the
| Are.
II was interesting TO note that sew
eral members of the party were young
students and Others who are largely
guided In their resolve by the wish to
escape military eonserlptiOn In Russia.
H.